Gazebo

[Kev ether]

Hi all,
I’m hoping someone can help me, I’m in the middle of building a gazebo which I started last year. The main structure is made of pine all of which
as far as I know was dry enough for me to begin the build. All the cross members are reused partition studs so I know they were dry. I varnished
the lot using 3 coats of yacht varnish starting with a very thin down coat. Can someone please tell me what went wrong and how to fix it.
SEE IMAGE BELOW
Thank you.

 

[Bingy man]

Could simply be resin from the pine that’s reacted with the varnish, also how hot was it when you varnished it as extreme heat could cause it to dry too quickly. Tbh most of it looks ok . Are the bad bits in direct sun.. i have some planters that had the same varnish and some parts look similar to yours .

 

[Kev ether]

Could simply be resin from the pine that’s reacted with the varnish, also how hot was it when you varnished it as extreme heat could cause it to dry too quickly. Tbh most of it looks ok . Are the bad bits in direct sun.. i have some planters that had the same varnish and some parts look similar to yours .

Thank you for your advice, is there anything I can do about it as it's all over the gazebo and looks a mess .

 

[Bingy man]

Thank you for your advice, is there anything I can do about it as it's all over the gazebo and looks a mess .

Imo only to sand back the affected areas and re-varnish. Try to pick a dry day but not an excessively hot day , don’t rush , and don’t apply to thickly and try not to over brush it . Assuming its oil based and not this quick dry stuff you will only get 1 coat per day so take your time . If the staining is due to pine resin you might need to treat this 1st . I’m no expert in this area but preparation is important-good luck though

 

[toolsntat]

I reckon it could be water getting in and getting trapped behind the varnish resulting in the first stages of rot.
Cheers, Andy

 

[Kayen]

Is it mostly on the sides that face the sun? It might have crystallised and allowed water to penatrate. Probably best to sand it all off and use an ozmo deck oil or something similar.

 

[Bingy man]

I reckon it could be water getting in and getting trapped behind the varnish resulting in the first stages of rot.
Cheers, Andy

I went to bed last night thinking along the same lines . Varnish is difficult to see in certain light conditions and did wander if the various had been missed in a few places and as per your post it was then getting in behind the varnish and becoming trapped. Agree with sanding it back and using a different product to seal it - I’ve no experience using oil but it seems like a good way to go ..

 

[edufvdb]

I am afraid that indeed water has penetrated behind the varnish. Could be because the wood was still drying or exposure to the sun made it "work" and the paint cracked. Apart from sanding the damaged varnish away you could try oxalic acid to clear the stains out of the wood (less sanding). Make sure you rinse the residue well and dry before painting again. As for the finish in my experience oil doesnt last well outside (basically it vaporizes) so you will have to repeat regularly. Also once oiled, changing back to paint will be difficult because the paint won´t hold. Hope this helps. Success

 

[Kev ether]

I reckon it could be water getting in and getting trapped behind the varnish resulting in the first stages of rot.
Cheers, Andy

Thank you, if it is I hope its not too deep if it is I will have no choice once I’ve repaired it but to paint it which is a shame as it looked good when I first built it. If I could have afforded it I would have used oak but it so expensive.

 

[Kev ether]

I went to bed last night thinking along the same lines . Varnish is difficult to see in certain light conditions and did wander if the various had been missed in a few places and as per your post it was then getting in behind the varnish and becoming trapped. Agree with sanding it back and using a different product to seal it - I’ve no experience using oil but it seems like a good way to go ..

Thank you but I varnished it in my shed with three good coats. It’s not the only project I’ve done that has turned out the same I did some planters and a grab rail and all have turned out the same and with each new project I make sure I really cover it and with a different type of varnish, I wonder if epoxy varnish would work better or just bite the bullet and invest in timber made for all weather conditions.

 

[Bingy man]

Thank you but I varnished it in my shed with three good coats. It’s not the only project I’ve done that has turned out the same I did some planters and a grab rail and all have turned out the same and with each new project I make sure I really cover it and with a different type of varnish, I wonder if epoxy varnish would work better or just bite the bullet and invest in timber made for all weather conditions.

It’s always a judgment call with anything that lives outside exposed to all Mother Nature has to offer and of course we are all limited by the funds we have available- I hate paint myself so I’d always prefer to see the wood but lots of different products available and lots of advise on this forum- I think think the oil option mentioned above is definitely worth considering..

 

[Kev ether]

It’s always a judgment call with anything that lives outside exposed to all Mother Nature has to offer and of course we are all limited by the funds we have available- I hate paint myself so I’d always prefer to see the wood but lots of different products available and lots of advise on this forum- I think think the oil option mentioned above is definitely worth considering..

Thank you I am going to have a proper look at the weekend.

 

[Kev ether]

Thank you everyone for your help, I have taken all advice and I will be having a good look to see how deep it goes then I can plan a repair before the roof goes on.
Thank you again.