On Tuesday, November 7, 2017 at 2:12:45 PM UTC, Martin Brown wrote:
On 07/11/2017 13:46, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Dan S. MacAbre wrote:

The first time I did the front door, maybe 20 years ago, the wood stain
I got was like a sort of dark varnish. It looked great, with a nice,
even glossy finish. Doing it again more recently, I find that the
stain, although sold as gloss, is more like satin; it dries quickly and
becomes opaque (which makes it harder for me to get an even finish). It
is water-based, which might explain some of this. It looks okay, but
I'm already thinking of when I might do it again. Have I just bought
the wrong stuff, or is it all like this nowadays? I think it's Ronseal,
although I don't have it to hand. Is this one of those 'a triumph of
marketing over quality' issues?

Yes - water based varnish never seems to do what you want. Oil based also
tends to darken after some time - which is also nice if you expect it.

You can still buy oil based stuff, though. Maybe yacht varnish?

Even on new bare wood, water based doesn't seem to bring out the grain in
the same nice way as oil based does.

IME it makes the grain swell and gives a significantly inferior finish
when compared to a proper oil based varnish which soaks deeper into the
wood making it slightly translucent and alive with tiger eye effect.

Same is true of the water based garden furniture finishes which peel off
after a season spent in the sunshine. I found by accident that Sikkens
make a fairly impressive oil based wood stain that looks like it bonds
into the wood and stays there instead of flaking off. Time will tell.

It is available at Dulux decorator centres. So far so good...

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Epifanes yachy varnish is the best I know for exterior work. when applied correctkl a light touch up yearly gives a finish that will last 5-7 year but you have to follow their recomended procedure which is tedious. I've switched to OSMO which goes on easier but requires renewing once a year minimum for outdoor projects.