# what varnish?



## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

today i bought aload of wood to make a new tort table for my hermanns alfie... i bought some varnish for it to stop the wood from rotting but not sure if it is ok to use it is RONSEAL diamond hard matt varnish resistant against scrathes heat and water, is it ok to use??????


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

As long as it's UV resistant and you allow plenty of time for the fumes to disperse it should be fine. 

*waits to get shot down by tortoise fanatics* :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

how will i know if its uv resistant?


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

It should say on the tin :smile:


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

ok it doesnt sy anything about uv on the tin so a lil confused


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## Fixx (May 6, 2006)

Yacht varnish is a pretty good bet, designed to withstand life on the ocean wave.


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

kk cheers


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Is that the water based varnish?


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

no it says its solvent based but thats all i could find


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## CWD (Feb 11, 2007)

I used Yacht varnish for my wds viv and its uv proof


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Proper yacht varnish (not the stuff they sell in DIY stores, but real yacht varnish from a chandlers) should be UV resistant, personally I'd prefer a water based varnish for a viv as it's safer, but if you have to use a solvent based one then give it at least a few days, preferably a week, at more than viv temp for all the solvent to evaporate, and make sure the viv is well ventilated afterwards. The solvent fumes are heavier than air and will pool in the bottom of the viv.


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## mask-of-sanity (Dec 27, 2006)

i used ronseal quick drying floor varnish thats worked a treat


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

i have just ordered ronseal yacht varnish so i hope ythats ok or im going to end up with all these varnishes i cant use...lol


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

I think you'll find that Ronseal Yacht Varnish may not be very UV resistant, it's not a "real" yacht varnish, I would never use it on my boats as it doesn't last long enough or give a good enough finish, nor do any of the DIY brand so-called yacht varnishes.
For a proper UV resistant yacht varnish go to a chandlers and buy something like Epifanes, IMO the best you can buy, it lasts years and has a very low solvent content.
Like alistu I use Ronseal Quick Drying Floor Varnish for vivs, being water based it's less hazardous than solvent based varnishes, but I haven't tried it with a strong UV light source so I don't know how it would stand up to UV.


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

so will ronseal yacht varnish be ok for my tort table??


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## CWD (Feb 11, 2007)

kelNalfie said:


> so will ronseal yacht varnish be ok for my tort table??





Its fine 4 any viv / table


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

Try it and see if it lasts under the UV, and make sure you give plenty of time for the solvent to evaporate, at temperatures above what the table will normally be exposed to.


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

thankyou guys you have been a great help..


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

i have varnished my tort table this mornin and has been out in the sun all day drying and airing out. 
will it be ok to put alfie in this evening?


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## pythonmorphs (Mar 13, 2006)

any make of varnish for exterior use will be uv resistant.


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## kelNalfie (May 27, 2007)

thats good to hear so do you ythink i alfie would be safe going in there this evening?


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## pam b (Mar 3, 2005)

Normal yacht varnish is fine, you dont need the posh stuff, after all your not going to sit your tort table in the water and set sail are you?:lol2:


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## pam b (Mar 3, 2005)

kelNalfie said:


> thats good to hear so do you ythink i alfie would be safe going in there this evening?


Nope i would give it at least 3-4 days at the eariest, you'll be supprised at the amount of fumes that will still come out when it gets some UV lights on it in an enclosed space.


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