Wood Varnish and Lacquer

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• External Wood Varnish For Doors & Windows
• Outdoor Furniture Varnish
• Wood Cladding Varnish
• Anti-Slip Decking Varnish
• Wood Floor Varnish
• Wood Varnish for Interior Furniture
• Interior Wood Door Varnish
• Wall & Ceiling Varnish
• Wood Varnish for Kitchen Worktops

External Wood Varnish For Doors & Windows

Seal your external wooden doors, windows, frames, and other joinery with wood varnish; we stock the biggest and most trusted brands in exterior wood varnishes including Coo-Var, Blackfriar, Bonda, and Flag.

The best exterior wood varnishes provide excellent UV resistance and waterproofing to joinery such as doors and windows, protecting wood from extreme climatic conditions. They help prevent swelling and cracking, increasing the life of wood, saving you money from replacing parts or entire door and window frames.

How do you varnish an exterior door?

Preparation is always key to varnishing wooden doors; following proper technique provides the best protection for your exterior wooden door. The surface should be clean, dry, sound and free from contaminants such as oils and waxes. Bare woods should be sanded to provide a key for the varnish - always sand in the direction of the grain! Remove all loose, flaking material, and treat bare areas as new a substrate.

Varnish is applied evenly using light strokes following the grain of the wood; for best results multiple coats may be required, especially on new wood. Brushing well into joints and end grains will help prevent moisture ingress.

Previously varnished surfaces can be stripped back easily using a varnish remover. Always read the data sheets for each product, following manufacturer application instructions.

Can I varnish over exterior stain?

You can varnish over stained wood surfaces - we recommend testing a small patch first to ensure compatibility, or contact our technical team for advice. The first coat of varnish must be applied carefully.

How do you protect exterior wood windows?

Wood varnishes and wood sealers help protect exterior wood window frames from rotting, as well as protected from the damaging effects of UV light and climatic conditions.

How do you varnish a window frame?

The same preparation rules apply to windows frames they do doors, removing contaminants and ensuring a smooth and sound surface on which to varnish. Cracked and weathered window frames can be filled and sanded appropriately - ideal if you've bought a new home or business, inheriting woodwork that hasn't been looked after properly.

Always read the data sheets for each product, following manufacturer application instructions. Follow the grain of the wood when applying varnish by brush or roller. Prior to application of the final coat (or if the overcoating time is exceeded), lightly abrade with fine glass paper, again working with the grain, and remove dust. You may also want to apply a bead of clear caulk to sashes, along the seam between the glass and the wood.

Outdoor Furniture Varnish

Add a protective layer of varnish to your outdoor wood garden furniture with our range of exterior varnishes. From the best and most trusted and renowned brands, our garden furniture varnishes provide superior durability to bare or stripped wood, with excellent UV and weather resistance. Ensure your outdoor wooden seats, benches, and tables have the best protection against the elements, all year round.

Varnishing your garden furniture gives excellent waterproofing protection, keeping furnishings in good workable condition for many years to come. Preventing your wood furnishings from splitting or warping, blistering or cracking will help you save money in the long term!

What is the best way to protect outdoor wood furniture?

Varnishes are a great way to provide protection to outdoor furniture such as seating and tables, adding a protective clear or coloured layer on top of the wood.

Is yacht varnish good for outdoor furniture?

Yacht varnish is extremely durable, as the name suggests it is used on marine and pleasure craft due to its good weathering and UV resistance. Therefore it is suitable for garden and outdoor furniture, providing excellent protection against the elements, all year round.

Does varnish protect outdoor wood?

Exterior varnish hardens over the top of wood with a tough and flexible protective layer, resisting weather and absorbing UV light to avoid damaging the wood underneath.

Does varnish make wood waterproof?

The layer of varnish applied to wood will prevent water from penetrating the wood surface, protecting it from swelling and other damage. This makes it ideal for use on outdoor wood furniture that will be left out during rain in spring and summer.

Which varnish is best for outdoor furniture?

Our exterior wood varnishes and yacht varnish from Blackfriar and Flag are excellent choices for protecting your outdoor wood furniture. They are simple to use - ensure you follow the instructions for preparation on each data sheet - by brushing the varnish on in a thin layer in the direction of the grain.

Wood Cladding Varnish

Enhance and protect your exterior wood cladding with our range of wood cladding varnishes. From renowned and trusted brands including Blackfriars, give your wood cladding superior UV light durability and waterproofing. For use on bare or stripped wood, enriching and protecting cladding with an attractive finish.

Can you varnish cladding?

Of course! Varnish adds a protective layer on top of the wood and you can choose from a clear and see-through varnish to coloured options, such as oak and mahogany, to change the look of your exterior wood cladding.

How do you waterproof wooden cladding?

Varnish seals wood with a hard and durable layer that sits on top, preventing water from penetrating the wood below and helping resist swelling and movement.

How do you keep cedar wood cladding from turning GREY?

All woods will naturally grey when left exposed to UV light from the sun, the question is how fast do you want to delay that process.

Our exterior varnishes have extra UV protection, absorbing light to prevent it damaging the wood surface. This is why you should always use an exterior varnish as opposed to an interior varnish on outdoor wood cladding, as the protection will be much better suited to the environment.

Anti-Slip Decking Varnish

Provide waterproofing protection to exterior wooden decking and walkways with our range of decking varnishes. We stock the biggest brands such as Blackfriars, with durable and hard wearing finishes that provide increased grip on wooden decking in wet and wintry conditions. They are easy to apply to bare wood and can often be used on top of existing stains.

Ideal for use at home or for businesses with wooden decking seated areas such as pubs, bars, restaurants, etc.

Is varnish good for decking?

A varnish with non-slip properties, such as Blackfriar Anti-Slip Deck Coating, is ideal for decking as it provides a firm footing during wet weather and over winter when ice may form. Note that the build up of moss, mould, wet leaves, etc, will impair or even cancel the anti-slip properties. Varnish cures to form a hardened layer on top of decking to protect it from damage caused by UV light, exposure to weather, and foot traffic. It allows the natural beauty of the wood grain to show whilst being protected, as opposed to paints that cover the grain completely.

Can you use yacht varnish on decking?

No, we do not recommend this use for yacht varnish on decking. Yacht varnish doesn't provide anti-slip protection like a decking varnish does.

Is polyurethane better than varnish?

Polyurethane is better suited for interior and indoor applications as it lacks UV protection that exterior varnishes have. UV light from sun exposure turns natural woods grey and can cause splitting and drying out of the surface without protection.

Can I varnish over old varnish?

We don't recommend it. The chemical makeup of the two varnishes may not be compatible and affect adhesion, and the existing "varnish" may well be an oil. You may not benefit from the protective qualities of a varnish if it cannot adhere and harden properly - always test a small and inconspicuous area before full application.

Wood Floor Varnish

Protect your wood floors from scratches and stains, with hard wearing varnish for wooden floors from Rawlins Paints. We stock oil based, plant based, and polyurethane wood varnishes for protecting and sealing timber flooring of most species, including dark woods. Choose from the best manufacturers of interior wood floor varnishes including Rust-Oleum, Lacq, and Coo-Var, for quick and easy application that can often be completed in just one day.

You can also buy fire retardant (intumescent) varnish for wood elsewhere on our online store.

What varnish is best for wooden floors?

Polyurethane is one of the most popular finish for wood floors, available in oil-based and water-based formulations, that you can buy at Rawlins Paints. It is extremely tough which makes it ideal for floors that are walked on frequently, such as gymnasiums, dance floors, sports centres, wherever a hard-wearing finish is required, protecting wood surfaces from scratches.

We also stock alternatives including acrylic varnish and plant-based formulas.

Can you varnish wood floors without sanding?

There are chemicals on the market that prepare a floor without sanding, but for the best results our manufacturers recommend sanding the surface before application.

How do you varnish a wooden floor?

Once the surface has been suitably prepared in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, wood floor varnish should typically be applied in a thin layer, brushed or rollered in the direction of the grain. When using products that require multiple coats, leave enough time for the first coat to dry, and lightly sand if required before recoating.

All of our wood floor varnishes have Product Data Sheets available from the Data Sheets tab on the product page, which detail the application process for varnishing wood floors.

Is floor varnish waterproof?

Our wood floor varnishes are water resistant, meaning liquids can be spilt or walked in and then cleaned up quickly without causing much harm.

Should I wax or varnish floorboards?

Varnishing your wood floors provides them with a hard-wearing protection layer on top of the wood, preventing damage from bumps and scrapes. Varnishes will provide more protection than waxes, but you must sand off the old protective layer before re-varnishing a surface.

How often should you varnish a wood floor?

Most varnishes will last on a wood floor for many years before re-varnishing is required, but it really depends on the amount of foot traffic the surface has seen.

Wood Varnish for Interior Furniture

Protect your wood furniture from scratches and stains with our range of wooden furniture varnishes at Rawlins Paints. Find quick drying and hard-wearing interior wood furniture varnish from the best manufacturers including Coo-Var, and Blackfriar, with decades of experience in wood protection. Clear and coloured wood varnishes are available to transform and bring out the natural beauty of wooden furniture, restoring your favourite furnishings for everyday use, or changing their aesthetics to match existing décor.

Our interior wood furniture varnishes protect furnishings from everyday damage. Tables and desks are used for writing on with notepads and paper placed directly onto the surface. Pens and pencils will damage unprotected wood underneath, in schools and offices. Wood chairs and stools are moved into place, brushed past, and knocked over. Cafes, pubs, and restaurants will inevitably splash hot and cold liquids onto wood, potentially staining the surface. These and other interior wood furniture, such as bookcases and display cabinets, require protection so that they can remain in operation for years to come.

Water and oil-based varnish for wood furniture provides a hard-wearing finish that withstands these bumps and scrapes. Our natural oils and polyurethane varnish for wood protect the surface from damage. New furniture isn’t cheap, if you’re furnishing your new home, business, or public service then you will want to get the most out of your wood furniture and make it last as long as possible.

Upcycling is the new rage with wood furniture rescued from skips and household waste centres, and recycled in charity shops, auctions, house clearances, etc. These older wood pieces of furniture will benefit enormously with a coating of fresh wood varnish. You don’t have to stick with the original wood colour, either. As well as clear and natural varnishes, Rawlins Paints stock coloured varnish for wood furniture that can lighten or darken furniture, unleashing a new life for old wood and matching your existing interior design.

Interior Wood Door Varnish

Find the best internal wood door varnish at Rawlins Paints, protecting your interior wood doors from dirt and knocks from family and visitors, or business customers. We are official stockists of Osmo wood varnishes, with other big brands including Blackfriar and Coo-Var. Hardwearing, quick-drying, excellent coverage – all of the attributes required of a door varnish.

Internal wood doors must contend with dirt and sweat from hands pushing them open and slamming them shut. Scuffs from being kicked. Spills from kitchen and bathroom installations, and more. Whilst many choose to oil or stain their interior wood doors, varnishing them will provide excellent protection from the day-to-day bustle of entering and exiting rooms both at home and in the workplace.

A varnish brings out the warmth in natural wood and will make your interior wooden doors very satisfying to look at, especially if they are pine or oak, solid or veneered. The hard-wearing finish ensures that any stains, spillages, and handling won’t affect the surface of the wood, keeping its appearance for much longer.

When varnishing your wooden doors, always ensure that the previous coat of varnish or stain has been removed before application, and check in a small area for compatibility.

Wall & Ceiling Varnish

Buy tough, hardwearing varnishes for your wood ceiling and wall furnishings at Rawlins Paints. Stockists of Remmers and Blackfriar, choose from clear and a full spectrum of colours and finishes from matt to gloss. Options include oil-based and polyurethane varnishes that are quick to dry and give long-lasting protection to surfaces.

Protect your wood ceilings – panelling, beams, tongue and groove – and wooden wall furnishings – panels, rails – with hardwearing varnish. Our wood varnish brings out the natural beauty of wood tones and grains whilst protecting with a tough layer of oil-based or polyurethane finish.

Wood ceiling and wall varnishes help extend the life of furnishings, offering protection from everyday activities such as the effects of cooking (smoke, oil, and fat residues) and abrasion.

Wood Varnish for Kitchen Worktops

Provide ultimate protection for your kitchen or workplace wooden worktops and tabletops, with interior wood varnish at Rawlins Paints. Our super-durable and hard-wearing wood varnishes resist stains from boiling water, alcohol, coffee, red wine, dilute acid and alkalis. They increase the cleanability of wooden work surfaces to improve hygiene and preventing lasting damage from abrasion for years.

Home baking and cooking have become much more popular since the turn of 2020, with home meal kits and recipe bags delivered to the home bring out the inner chef in all of us. That means our kitchen worktops are being used more frequently, so it’s important to ensure that your wooden surface is protected with tough, hardwearing varnish. Pounding bread dough onto your worktop to work air into it, mixing cake ingredients together in a bowl sliding around the surface, or cutting cookie shapes with cutters – acids, alkalis, and abrasive utensils can mark, stain, and permanently damage your precious wooden workspaces.

Desks and work surfaces are more common as businesses turn to online trading, and people work from home more. Whether you’re writing and signing letters, or moving a mouse pointer around on screen, not using a mat or pad to lean on with deteriorate the wooden surface of your desk quickly. And since we’re all busy at work, taking drinks and food to our desks will result in spillages and crumbs that can stain or work their way into the wood grain, leaving an unhygienic workstation. Applying a protective varnish layer to your wooden desk will aid greatly in keeping the surface clean and free of damage.