lasure

[Fmn]

I was in our bricomarche this morning looking for something 'like sikkens' to put on our new oak internal doors.  The sikkens was only available for exterior wood and I know they don't advise using their interior products for exterior and vice versa.  There were a couple of other (presumably french) products that seem to do the same job and are recommended for interior and exterior work.  They are also cheaper.  Having bought 'cheaper' french paint (monocouche! ha!) I am wary of buying a lasure that is cheaper than sikkens.  Could anyone give me the benefit of their experience on this?

Thanks Fran

[Nick Trollope]

Lasure is creosote isn't it?

[Teamedup]

No it isn't it is what I call thin varnish and the good stuff is not only very expensive but very good.

I always use Holzlasur 2000 by Zweihorn, which is an ICI company. You can only get it in specialist shops, and it is expensive, but does go a long way, but I have used it for interior as well as exterior woodwork. The place I get it from says that it and sikkens are equally good quality, but I prefer it as I find sikkens leaves an opaque finish where as this leaves a clear finish. I never dilute it but put three  coats (it seems to go on thinly) on our doors  and windows, lovely long lasting finish as long as the wood is properly prepared.

I have also used Mr Bricolages varnish, but it was hard work as it took lots of coats to get the same finish. I'm not sure about how much cheaper it would be in the long run to buy this cheaper product.