Marine Spar Varnish

System Three Marine Spar Varnish is a high-build coating designed for marine epoxy and exterior wood surfaces such as railings, doors or any surface where a clear, durable gloss finish is desired.

System Three Marine Spar Varnish contains state-of-the-art UV absorbers, which will keep wood looking beautiful even with constant exposure to strong sunlight. System Three Marine Spar Varnish is also resistant to scratching and marring, as well as many cleaners and solvents.

Description

Marine Spar Varnish

System Three Marine Spar Varnish is designed to provide durable UV protection for demanding marine applications. It contains state of the art UV absorbers, which will keep wood looking beautiful even with constant exposure to strong sunlight. It’s also resistant to scratching and marring, as well as many cleaners and solvents. Unlike most varnishes, System Three Marine Spar Varnish is formulated to dry over a wide variety of epoxy resin systems.

Features

• Available in gloss and satin

• Offers excellent protection from salt air and water

• Easy to apply

Properties


Finishing FAQ

The Marine Spar Varnish can be thinned with mineral spirits at up to 10-15% by weight.

Pennant Topside Paint offers better UV protection for epoxy resins and the surface underneath than Marine Spar Varnish. How much better depends on the length and severity of the exposure. Pennant Paint is a little more expensive, but being waterborne, is available anywhere in North America. Marine Spar Varnish contains VOC content, and its use is restricted in some areas, but if available, offers more ease-of-application and a cost savings over Pennant Paint.

Maintaining the UV protective topcoat is the key to keeping your outdoor wood project looking like new for years to come.

Estimating the longevity of any finish in an exterior environment is difficult to determine. The deterioration rate is heavily dependent on the severity of exposure and the intensity of exposure can drastically differ from location to location.

Another big factor is the preparation of the wood. The wood should be dry with a sufficient film build of epoxy encapsulating it (top, bottom, sides, edges, corners). The Marine Spar Varnish protects the epoxy and the epoxy protects the wood. When the varnish starts to dull, lightly sand and apply a fresh coat to refresh the UV absorbers. Provided the conditions above are met and the varnish is properly maintained, theoretically, the epoxy and wood will be protected indefinitely.

Maintenance of the varnish is also difficult to estimate. Re-coating the varnish can be needed every 1-2 years in the most extreme equatorial and sunny environments. In higher latitude, shadier environments, you could get as much as 5 years. Please read through our Clear Finishing of Outdoor Wood Guide to determine if your project is a good candidate for our system.