Bartley Gel Varnish Instructions

Sand the entire piece you are going to varnish. This will remove any existing varnish from the piece and provide a good surface on which the varnish can adhere to. To sand the piece, simply rub a piece of sandpaper gently over the entire area to be varnished.

Clean the surface of the object you are about to varnish. There should not be any residue, dust, or dirt on the wood’s surface as this will show up in your varnish coat. Wipe down the entire object with a damp cloth and allow it to dry before applying the varnish.

Apply a good amount of varnish to a small area of the piece you are working on. Use a clean cloth and rub the varnish in the direction of the wood’s grain. Wipe the surface until just enough varnish remains to stain the surface of the piece — the first coat of varnish should be dry to the touch.

Repeat this process of wiping on the varnish until you have given the entire object one coat. Apply a second and possibly third coat using the same method as described in Step Two. The more coats you add, the darker the wood will get.

Allow the surface to dry for six to eight hours. If you live in a very damp or cold climate, the gel varnish can take up to a full day to dry properly.