TotalBoat Gleam Marine Spar Varnish for Boats & Outdoor Wood - Gloss Pint

We bought this for a wood counter top bar on our lake pier. This stuff is great! We sanded and cleaned the top. We then applied the gleam varnish with a little sponge roller and let it dry. We sanded again then applied another coat and repeated one more time. This stuff is amazing. The bar is so shiny and slick. It protects it from the sun and rain. It is so easy to clean and wipe off any dirt or spilled substance. If you are looking to protect wood outside whether it is tables, bars or chairs, you will love this. There are some videos on youtube that will show you exactly how to apply it if you search. We are very happy with it.

I’m so impressed with Gleam! I used it to finish our front door and I wanted a product that’s easy to apply, quick to dry, and looks great. I followed the instructions that in order to get a good satin finish, you start with gloss and add satin at the end. I applied the first coat thinned with the TB thinner and did a flood coat with gloss. I applied the finish with a foam roller and tipped it off with a foam brush. The door got 6 coats of gloss (1.5 cans) which made it so reflective I could see my face in it! I then scuff sanded, cleaned, and applied 2 coats of satin which gave me a great sheen. I was impressed with how smooth it went on. It flattens out nicely, and was easy to apply.

I've used a lot of varnish -- both marine grade and standard outdoor varieties including Helmsman and Eplfanes. All have their advantages and disadvantages. However, I've never used one as nice as Gleam. This stuff is amazing. First, it's perfectly thinned right out of the can -- making it glide on so smoothly, you'll wonder if it's really varnish. The first 2 coats soaked nicely into the wood (deck railings / banisters). The third coat was where I noticed the most advantage over the others. It flowed onto the wood extremely smoothly without any brush tugging (waited until dry to the touch - about 4 hours at 66 degrees) and it stayed put - didn't run or begin to sag on vertical surfaces. But wait -- there's more. I just finished the fourth coat and using a natural bristle wood stains and finishes brush - it went down extremely smooth -- the bush glided along the wood like it was lubricated and still - at half the quart used -- it still needed no thinning. It was perfect. It was how the varnish glided so evenly onto the finish that impressed me so very much. Now, with all this said, I plan to put on two more coats and let it cure for several days (in the basement shop) before re-installing onto the deck. We'll see how it stands up to sun, rain and snow over the next year. Other finishes have only lasted 1-2 years. While I don't expect this finish to last more than 2 years, I certainly won't mind re-finishing once again with this GLEAM for it's excellent application qualities. Good stuff!

This was as advertised. Not to mention it was a fraction of the cost when compared to local paint and hardware stores. I found it very easy to work with. My only regret is I dud not take before photos. My project was grayed and weather beaten. After a light sanding and applying the varnish, here are the results.

I have been looking for an easy-use outdoor varnish for a while now and came upon this one. What I love the most about this varnish is it's self-leveling, dries in 2 hours which is a plus in my book, has a beautiful glossy finish, easy to sand and durable to the outdoor environment. Only dislike I have is the can it comes in, after many use the cover doesn't fit properly because of the old dried-up residue from before, so it's difficult to get a proper seal on the lid. I think a plastic container would be best instead of a metal can.

Very good quality

I needed to replace an "address stump" beside my driveway that was there for almost 15 years, it finally rotted and fell apart. I had this American elm log laying around and my grandson and I agreed that it would make a good replacement. It was a fairly quick and easy project for us, it only took about 3 days to complete. But unlike the last one I wanted to use a sealer that would bring out the wood grain. This worked perfectly for what I needed. It gave the wood a slight honey color, went on easy, only an hour between coats with no sanding between each coat, and it brought out the wood grain. It's only been out in the weather for 2 months so only time will tell how it holds up under the hot sun. I'll try to remember to do an updated review after summer is over.......uh, no guarantee that I'll remember.

Well...the ingredients list on the side of the can do not list "Tung Oil" as one of the ingredients. But the front of the can does say, "Tung Oil Formula." Whatever that means. I just wonder why "Tung Oil" is not listed as one of the ingredients. Could it be like Homer Formby's "Tung Oil Finish" which does not have, never has had, actual Tung Oil in it but just prices it like it does? The description here on Amazon says "Tung Oil Based" but, who knows what that means? It is clear what they want you to think it means. Maybe it does have some in it? I don't know. Anyway, I've only completed 2 coats so far and, I've thinned them more than the 10% recommend here. So far, I like the way it looks and the way it goes on. But I don't think it would be thin enough at 10:1 product to mineral spirits to make a good penetrating sealer coat. Your experience may vary. BTW, if anybody does know if this product does actually contain actual Tung Oil. Please lemme know. OK, I just found links on another distributors site, not this one, to a Tech Data sheet & the MSDS Data sheet for this product. No mention of "Tung Oil" is made in either one. The only oil I could find mentioned in one was Linseed Oil. A "How To" video on the site states it is 'based on a Chinese Tung Oil formula' but does not say it contains any Tung Oil. If this is the case it is clearly meant to be misleading. OMG ! ! ! It should only cost half as much, or less, if it just has Linseed Oil in it! ! ! Jeeze. BUYER BEWARE? UPDATE: I posted this question on the distributor's site that claims they are "exclusive" for this product. I finally got a reply flagged as "STAFF" that said 'it has Tung Oil in it.' That's all. But after applying it for week now, sunny everyday, no rain, low humitdity, highs near 90, I believe it is mostly urethane based. This is not scientific but just based on having used urethane products in past. If that is the case then it is over priced. Linseed Oil & urethane are the cheapest ingredients they could use. I am not saying it's crap or anything, only time will tell that and, it does look good. Also, unless it's listed by some chemical name I do not recognize urethane is not on the ingredients list or in either data sheet. But right now I am convinced based on empirical observation that's what it mostly is, urethane based, with maybe a little Tung Oil thrown in for advertising purposes. If anyone out there convinces me I am wrong on this then I will retract it.

I wanted a marine varnish to protect 2 tables & 4 benches that were being left out in the sun and rain from late May to early October, restaurant patio season. With covid and the onset of outdoor patio's the rain had worn the finish off both these tables. I sanded down to remove the water damage and purchased a gal of gloss and a gal of satin from TotalBoat Gleam Marine Varnish. I did the first 5 coats of gloss and the last 3 coats of satin to bring down the shine. Before I topped it with satin, the gloss finish looked like it was a thick clear epoxy finish. I lightly sanded with a 400 grit every 2nd coat, the finish on these tables and benches is just amazing. I love this quality product better than any varnish I have used to date. And I only used about 1/2 the gal of gloss and 1/4 of the gal of satin. The photo's are of tables and benches finished with the satin varnish.

The product it's self is excellent the problem is the shipping whoever pa ked this doesn't know what he's doing it arrived completely donated with the bottom round so won't sit flat on the table