Best varnish for stair handrails?

[D. Dalton]

I made a couple of stairway handrails from softwood and varnished them with
yacht varnish. However, the result is somewhat displeasing; the varnish,
although applied months ago, still has a bit of 'grab' to it and gives a
bit of a friction burn if one slides the heel of one's hand down it too
fast, on the way down the stairs. Perhaps yacht varnish is meant to be like
that so that sailors' hands and feet don't slip on it easily, I don't know!

Is there some other varnish that ends up a bit more slippery or silky? Or
would the answer be to apply wax or similar? Or would that make ot too
slippery? I'm hoping I won't need to strip the old varnish off.

If anyone has had first-hand experience of this problem, and found a
solution, I'd appreciate your input.

Thanks,

DD

[stuart noble]

I'd rub it down with coarse wire wool dipped in a furniture wax

[Andy Champ]

On 28/12/2011 19:59, D. Dalton wrote:

Yacht varnish loses its grip after a few months sailing. Which sort was
it? DIY shed "Yacht varnish" or something bought from a chandler?

I'd give Stuart's wax a go, if you really don't think it's a good idea
to be able to hold the handrail.

Andy

[Jules Richardson]

On Wed, 28 Dec 2011 19:59:09 +0000, D. Dalton wrote:
> I made a couple of stairway handrails from softwood and varnished them
> with yacht varnish. However, the result is somewhat displeasing; the
> varnish, although applied months ago, still has a bit of 'grab' to it
> and gives a bit of a friction burn if one slides the heel of one's hand
> down it too fast, on the way down the stairs. Perhaps yacht varnish is
> meant to be like that so that sailors' hands and feet don't slip on it
> easily, I don't know!

I did mine with Minwax wood stain followed by a few coats of Minwax brush-
on clear gloss laquer. It's holding up fine a few years later, and is
neither too slippery or too smooth. Our stairwell is naturally quite dark
(no direct lighting) so the gloss doesn't come out as "too shiny".

cheers

Jules

[JakeD]

Andy Champ <no....@nospam.invalid> wrote in
news:G_CdnYNLU_i5EWbT...@eclipse.net.uk:

> Yacht varnish loses its grip after a few months sailing. Which sort
> was it? DIY shed "Yacht varnish" or something bought from a chandler?

Bought from some discount hardware shop for 99p.
OK, call me a cheapskate. ;-)

> I'd give Stuart's wax a go, if you really don't think it's a good idea
> to be able to hold the handrail.

I'll try that - thanks...

Jake