what is a varnish
Varnish What is Varnish. Varnish is a general name, like paint, for a transparent, protective finish or film mostly used on wood. Traditional Varnishes contained a resin, a drying oil, and a solvent. The finish is usually shiny but can be modified by adding flatting agents or by rubbing the hardened varnish with abrasives. Varnish is transparent, but often has a yellowish tone. Traditional varnishes tend to get a golden hue over time, this is much prized by boat owners. Varnish usually has no pigment added although some varnishes will have a small amount of stain to make the colour more golden.