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Trade Secrets: An innovative varnish recipe

2026-07-03T08:51:00

6

Johannes Jacobs presents a method for making and applying both the ground coat and an emulsion varnish

1. Ground coat

For the ground, I use a home-made potash mixture. This is better than commercially made pure potash, which gives a greyish hue. I fill a quarter of a 10-litre container with wood ash (mainly beechwood) from my stove (1a), and then fill it to the top with water (1b). Then I let the mixture stand for around ten days. When the solution clears, it is ready. I use the clear fluid from the top of the bucket (1c) to apply three coats. Once dried, I use equisetum to smooth out any hairs on the wood…

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