Varnishing and Deks Olje D2

[Michael4]

Variation on a theme.

A couple of years ago I finished the outside of our Tideway with Deks Olje D1 and D2.

I now want to go back to trad varnish. For me, D2 doesn't seem to quite do the job. Although it looks lovely it is seriously slippy when wet, it is fairly soft and therefore scratches a bit and..it softens Sikaflex which is an integral part of the boat...it is also £££s.

Now varnishing over D1 will be fine, it is one of those saturating oily things but D2, as I understand it, contains waxes etc. The manufacturers tell me that D1 softens D2 and you'd use it before re-applying D2.

Question is, if I soften the D2 with D1 or similar and then scrape (burn) off the residue will I ever get back to a surface that will take varnish?

Anyone done this?

[chris]

The only time I used Deks 1 &2 was on a thames punt and, like you, I found the result looked good but was soft etc.
I think I would remove the current D2 (heat, stripper, abrasion - whatever) then scrub, perhaps with somethinglike sugar soap which will de-grease and remove any waxy residue and then revarnish. There are other ways of degreasing but I doubt after stripper there will be much left anyway.

[Michael4]

Thanks, at least it should come off easily!