# yacht varnish



## gaz2374 (Aug 29, 2005)

rigth i coted my chameleons old wood viv in yacht varnish last sat just wondering how long till i can put him back in its fully dry and cured etc but still has a slight smell.


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## basky (Dec 11, 2006)

have you got all the lights in it? if so turn them on and see if it still smells. should help dry it out quicker.


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## Magpye (Jan 26, 2007)

It should be odour free and dry within 24-48 hours if you have the lights/heat sources in and switched on, otherwise you could be waiting a few days.


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## exoticsandtropics (Mar 11, 2007)

yeah as long as it's tack free and doesn't smell should be OK


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## Karl_1989 (Jan 19, 2007)

Be very carful with the fumes with that stuff lasted about 4 days in my viv with a fan on 24 hours a day n the window open


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

I'd wait at least a week as it's solvent based, Ronseal Quick Drying Floor Varnish is better, it's water based and any fumes are non-toxic, and being for floors it's very tough.


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## dnarra (Feb 14, 2007)

gaz2374 said:


> rigth i coted my chameleons old wood viv in yacht varnish last sat just wondering how long till i can put him back in its fully dry and cured etc but still has a slight smell.


sorry to put a downer on things but i learnt the hard way with yacht varnish its a no go if you coat something that something lives in/on it contains a substance that stop barnicles and such like living on it, i coated a tank lid with it and left it for two weeks before putting it onto my marine tank, it caused wipeout and i lost everything, use the stuff that does exactly what it says on the tin. sorry


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

Graham said:


> I'd wait at least a week as it's solvent based, Ronseal Quick Drying Floor Varnish is better, it's water based and any fumes are non-toxic, and being for floors it's very tough.


: victory::no1::notworthy:8) etc etc!!!!

i've said this till i'm blue in the face, and FINALLY someone agrees with me!!!! YIPEEEEE!!!!! 

TO ALL WHO STILL USE YACHT VARNISH, READ GRAHAMS POST!!!!

:roll:


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## Graham (Jan 27, 2007)

There's absolutely no advantage to using yacht varnish in a viv anyway! As an amateur boatbuilder I use yacht varnish a lot, and for its intended purpose it's great, but in a viv it's pointless. The "Yacht Varnish" you typically buy in DIY stores is rubbish anyway, no self respecting boat owner would ever use it. 

It will continue to give off fumes for some time after you think it's dry, even weeks later if you just add some heat (like we do in vivs) it will start gassing again. In a confined space humans can be overcome by the heavier than air fumes, it's happened to me once even though I'm aware of the dangers. 

In any enclosed environment water based varnish is the way to go, it's safe, tough, waterproof, produces a good finish, it's easily available, and it's not expensive, why take a chance with anything else?


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## eeji (Feb 22, 2006)

well said


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## spikey666 (Apr 24, 2007)

handy thread ...logical makes sense excellent couldnt have timed finding that out better lol!


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