February 12, 2023

Verified Purchase

Worst varnish I have tried to use in 40 years. Regardless of thinning ratio, it will not maintain a wet edge.

June 8, 2022

Verified Purchase

I've worked with varnish a long time and this is an improvement over most. It goes on a little bit thicker, meaning it drips or sags less, and it dries hard compared to others.

July 27, 2021

in response to the negative reviews by amateurs - this varnish is the gold standard and has been for many years. Please do your homework and learn how to apply varnish. Of course, you need to thin this product, and interlux makes the best product for that as well.

February 23, 2021

I can see why some of the reviews are negative, saying that its too thick to use out of the can. From the Interlux website you can pull the data sheet for the product and it gives the thinning requirements. First Coat Thin 50%, Second Coat Thin 25%, all following coats Thin 15%. I used Special thinner 216 because of the cold weather, otherwise I'd use 333. I emailed Interlux asking why they changed the formula for Schooner, I guess its to keep the VOC's down so its not shipped as hazardous material. If you don't like mixing your own varnish best to stick with Schooner and not Schooner Gold.

June 29, 2020

Verified Purchase

Used it on the new mahogany deck over epoxy finish. 2 coats brushed and tipped. Then 2 coats rolled and tipped. Make sure your surface prep is perfect, as it does not hide defects. Also strain it as directed.

May 13, 2019

Verified Purchase

Thick as molasses: did not make application easy. Instructions say you can sand every other coat, but that left me with orange peel. Give me the original, keep your "gold".

May 1, 2019

product very difficult to work with. had to add thinner constantly during application in perfect weather conditions. left wavy surface on a perfectly flat surface. had to restrip teak and start over after 50 labor hours of work.

May 9, 2017

I've had every experience listed under the unfavorable reviews. I've used Interlux gold on three boats and found it very difficult and unpredictable. I had one can that I used where the product didn't seem to cure, remained gummy, and I ended spending hours stripping it all off and having to start over again. I called CLC boats and they said that there was a recall on Interlux Gold a couple of years ago, so that may explain that episode. It's impossible to use out of the can. On mild days 70-78 degrees in california i tend to thin it 10% and work on small sections at a time. Once I get a good finish it looks good and his durable but its not worth using. After 3 boats I will never use the product again. Interlux needs to speak up here and discuss their product

November 1, 2015

Worked as advertised. Needed some thinning. Brushed very easily with a 2 in. badger brush. There's barely a brush mark afterwards. I have always used Zspar. I like this one a lot too!

April 6, 2012

I switched to Interlux about a year ago. I liked the combination of Jet Speed undercoating with Schooner finish coats... and then Interlux took Jet Speed off the market. My experience with Schooner Gold suggests it's not really a high build undercoat varnish for brushers. Even indoors at moderate temperature, it proved impossible to find the thinning mixture that produced the smooth, self-leveling film that Interlux advertised. And I couldn't brush on two coats without sanding. So I did "the right thing"; I consulted the manufacturer's instructions. No help at all. My evaluation is that Schooner Gold isn't brushable until Interlux publishes much more detailed (and credible) instructions.