DIY skills The ‘good oil’ on clear coatings

The most complex (and disappointing) area of all surface coatings is trying to sustain a nice clear finish on exterior timbers… especially in Australia.  

Because of the geographical isolation and arid, barren land mass, the intensity of ultra violet radiation is greater than most places on earth. 

On the European continent for example, the particulate matter concentration suspended over the land, and the cloud cover has a substantial filtering affect on U/V (ultra violet radiation). As a consequence clear coatings last considerably longer. 

A varnished front door in the U.K. may give several years service, whereas the same application in Australia will break down in months. The incidence of skin cancers is a testimony to this intensity.  

To understand the process of clear coated timber degradation is also to understand part of the solution.