I have an old house built in 1922 that has heart pine on the front porch floor in Alexandria, VA. Four years ago I sanded off all the paint, replaced several boards with reclaimed heart pine, and stained and finished the porch with 3 coats of Olympic oil base Exterior Clear Varnish. Now I can’t buy the product due to the VOC laws, but I want to keep the natural finish.
The house faces North, with lots of shade so UV damage is not a problem. But with the moisture, the porch needs a couple of additional coats. Are there any exterior varnish options on the market that I can apply over the existing finish? Is there any way to use spar varnish on the floor?
Also while we’re at it, my neighbor across the street replaced her entire porch floor with mahogany, and the sun is tearing it up. (faces south) Any ideas here?
Replies
Let sun turn mahogany grey on South exposure. Wash it occasionally.
For your situation, spar varnish isn't really a good choice. Because of its flexibility it's pretty soft for walking on. Moreover, it's a high gloss finish--a little damp and with the right shoes you can go skating. You want a satin varnish for a bit more grip. Waterlox Satin might be a good bet.
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