Paint and varnish questions

[mmmalmberg]

So my wood repairs are done and I'm getting ready to look for tacks to re-seat, then sand the hull, and then a first coat of varnish inside before starting the canvas.

Yesterday, thinking it was a good idea, I did a light oiling of the interior with BLO, wiping it off thoroughly after about five minutes. Then this morning - of course - I read some posts about linseed oil going black. Why me... So today I washed the whole thing with paint thinner just to take off any excess, knowing I couldn't pull it back out of the wood. So now it is what it is. Sure looks nice for the moment anyway

1) Once dry/cured should I give it a coat of some sort of preservative (recommendations?) before varnishing, to minimize the chances of blackening?

2) What would be the best thing to apply to the outside of the planking before canvassing?

3) Is a quart enough varnish for a 17' OTCA, and is a quart enough paint for a newly filled canvas?

Thanks

 

[pklonowski]

The blackening is mold... You should be able to buy a mildewcide additive for paint, oil, varnish, even water-based finishes, at any paint store. Mix it into your BLO per instructions, then put that on the wood.

 

[1905Gerrish]

1 and 2, probably won't have a problem with mold on the inside. If anything it will be the outside under the canvas but tung oil thinned with turpentine is always a good option in and out and will not hurt in any way. Epifanes varnish is tung oil based and is what I use.
3 varnish probably not, paint should do the trick if thinned properly. I would guess you could get 4 coats thinned of paint.

 

[jva74]

No sign of blackening of neither canoe nor dozen paddles oiled with BLO. Old breed builders recommend BLO both on fresh and especially old dry planking.

 

[mmmalmberg]

OK I'm not going to worry about it then. Water over the bridge anyway at this point... BLO on the inside, maybe tung/turp on the outside.