READERS’ INQUIRIES

Evening Star, Issue 21218, 27 September 1932, Page 2

READERS’ INQUIRIES

A RECIPE FOR VARNISH. “Constant Header ” writes Could you please give mo a recipe for a fairly dark varnish? It is for a table which is having its first coat of varnish. Assuming that your table is new and sandpapered to a smooth finish, a good oil stain may bo prepared by mixing cighl} parts of raw or boiled linseed oil with four parts of turpentine, one part of torebine, and a pigment such ns vandyke brown or burnt amber. The quantity of the pigment depends upon the depth of colour desired, and can best be determined by mixing in a little, trying the result on a board, and adding more until the correct shade is achieved. When the stain has boon applied and is dry, add one or two thin coats of any hard varnish of good make. The foregoing is a recipe as requested. Many an amateur, however, has been quite successful with prepared varnish stain, which, of course, is much less trouble and probably cheaper for occasional jobs. It may be bought in all shades ready for uso in tins of a quarter of a pound and upward, and costs about 2s 6d for a pound tin. Then, again, a prepared oil stain can bo obtained and used in place of the recipe given above, but in conjunction with tho varnish. In all cases it pays to sandpaper tho untouched surface to a glasslike smoothness.