The Ultimate Guide to Miniature Varnishes and Sealants
The Ultimate Guide to Miniature Varnishes and Sealants
A great paint job deserves a great finish. That’s what varnishes and sealants are for—locking in your work, protecting it from chips and fingerprints, and dialing the surface sheen (matte, satin, or gloss) so materials read correctly on the table and in photos. This guide explains every finish type, when to use them, how to avoid frosting, and pro workflows for troops, characters, vehicles, and basing effects.
Why Varnish at All?
- Protection: Reduces rub on edges, shields metallics from dulling, and protects delicate pigments like fluorescents and pastels.
- Finish control: Matte sells cloth and skin, satin sells leather and oiled wood, gloss sells wet, glass, slime, and deep metallic shine.
- Workflow safety: A gloss inter‑coat lets you do oil/enamel weathering and clean up without harming acrylic paint underneath.
- Decal success: Gloss under decals prevents silvering; a final matte blends the film invisibly.
The Main Families of Clear Coats
Acrylic (water‑based)
Pros: Low odour, indoor‑friendly, fast drying, minimal yellowing. Great for army painting and most characters.
Cons: Slightly softer for the first 24–48 hours; needs thin coats for perfect matte.
Polyurethane (water‑based or solvent)
Pros: Tougher film, smooth self‑levelling. Nice for frequently handled gaming pieces.
Cons: Some solvent‑based variants can amber over time; check the label if colour neutrality matters.
Lacquer (solvent)
Pros: Very hard finish, rapid set, excellent clarity for glassy gloss or super‑flat matte lines.
Cons: “Hotter” solvent—can craze uncured paint and soften foam if unsealed. Use ventilation and test first.
Enamel/Oil Clear
Pros: Smooth levelling, classic scale‑model look for vehicles.
Cons: Long cure times; more odour; some formulas can yellow with age. Best as a weathering stage, not your only protective coat.
Sheen 101: Matte, Satin, Gloss (and How to Mix)
- Gloss: Deep, reflective; makes colours appear richer and is ideal before decals and oil washes.
- Satin: Subtle sheen; perfect for leather, oiled wood, polished armour, and realistic vehicles.
- Matte: Diffuse, no‑shine; best for cloth, skin, bone, terrain. The “pro” look for most gaming minis.
Custom sheen: You can fine‑tune by mixing varnishes from the same product line: 1 part gloss + 2–3 parts matte ≈ soft satin. Always test on a spoon or spare base first.
Delivery Methods: Brush, Rattlecan, Airbrush
Brush‑on
When: Small areas, spot finishes, or cold weather. How: Use a soft flat brush, thin slightly with manufacturer’s medium, and avoid over‑working—long strokes cause streaks.
Rattlecan (spray)
When: Fast army batches and terrain. How: 20–30 cm away, light passes, rotate the model. Ideal conditions are 15–25 °C, <60% RH. Shake 60–90 seconds; clear the nozzle after use by spraying upside down.
Airbrush
When: Maximum control. How: Thin per label (often 1:1–1:2 varnish:thinner for acrylics), 15–20 PSI, several mist coats with cross‑hatching. Great for dead‑flat matte without speckling.
Core Workflows That Just Work
1) Army‑Ready: Durable, Non‑Shiny Finish
- Finish paint.
- Gloss patch for decals only (small area), apply decals with Micro Set/Sol.
- Seal decals with gloss (tiny patch) to bury edges.
- Final overall matte. Spot‑satin on leather boots, belts, gun stocks for material realism.
2) Character Model: Presentation Finish
- Gloss inter‑coat after your blends to protect them.
- Oil/enamel pin‑wash in recesses (optional), clean up on the gloss surface.
- Matte overall to unify.
- Selective sheen control: Satin on leather and gems; pure gloss on eyes, lenses, venom, or wet blood.
3) Vehicle & Mech: Realistic Sheen
- Paint + chipping/sponge.
- Gloss overall → enamel pin‑wash & streaks → dry time.
- Satin overall (most AFVs aren’t chalk‑flat). Keep matte on fabric tarps; gloss only for fresh oil or rain runs.
4) Metallics & “Candy” Colour
- Bright silver/gold base.
- Gloss coat for slick surface.
- Transparent ink glazes for colour (red/blue/green) in thin layers.
- Satin finish to keep depth without mirror‑shine; re‑edge with bright metal.
5) Snow, Water, Slime & Effects
- Snow: Use a matte finish; any gloss will make snow look wet/ice‑like.
- Water/ice: Keep gloss on puddles and icicles; you can spot‑varnish gloss on top of matte bases.
- Slime/venom: Thin lines of gloss create convincing wet ridges.
Decal Workflow (No Silvering)
- Gloss a small patch where the decal will sit.
- Apply with Micro Set; press bubbles out with a cotton bud.
- Micro Sol to soften over rivets/folds; let it wrinkle and don’t touch while it sets.
- Gloss again to bury edges → then matte the whole area to blend.
Environmental Rules (Avoid Frosting & Orange Peel)
- Temperature: 15–25 °C is the sweet spot. Too cold = tacky finish; too hot = dry spray and texture.
- Humidity: Target <60% RH. High humidity causes frosting/clouding in matte coats.
- Distance & coat weight: Multiple light passes beat one heavy one. Heavy coats trap moisture and turn milky.
- Surface prep: Dust and skin oils cause “fish‑eyes.” Wipe models with a soft brush or air puffer before varnish.
Troubleshooting (Fast Fixes)
- Frosting/Clouding: Usually humidity or heavy coat. Fix: Apply a very light gloss coat (brush‑on or airbrush) to re‑wet and clear the haze, then re‑matte in ideal conditions.
- Orange Peel (grainy texture): Too close, too thick, or hot/dry air. Fix: Let cure, then a misted, slightly thinned pass at a bit more distance; for severe cases, micromesh 2000+ then re‑coat.
- Streaks (brush‑on): Over‑working. Fix: Add a little medium, switch to a soft flat brush, and use single, confident passes.
- Sticky/Tacky: Cold or humid room. Fix: Move to a warm, dry area; full cure can take 24–72 h. Avoid stacking models too soon.
- Cracking/Crazing: “Hot” solvent over uncured paint. Fix: Let base layers cure longer; spray test pieces; switch to gentler acrylic clears between stages.
- CA Fogging: Super glue vapour can cloud fresh gloss. Fix: Glue before varnish when possible; allow CA to fully off‑gas before clear coats.
Compatibility & Layering Order (Safe Stacks)
When in doubt, go from gentlest → hottest chemistry and allow cure times between layers.
- Acrylic paint → acrylic gloss → oils/enamels → acrylic matte/satin. (Common, safe, flexible.)
- Acrylic paint → lacquer gloss → oils/enamels → lacquer or acrylic matte. (Advanced: test first; lacquer needs fully cured acrylic.)
- Don’t spray lacquer over uncured acrylics or soft plastics/foam without sealing.
Material‑Matching Cheat Sheet
- Cloth, skin, bone, terrain earth: Matte
- Leather, oiled wood, painted armour plates: Satin
- Wet mud, slime, lenses, gem cabochons, fresh oil: Gloss
- AFVs/vehicles: Satin overall with matte canvas & gloss wet spots
- NMM metallics: Matte overall (let the paint sell the shine)
- True Metallic Metal: Satin overall; spot gloss on polished edges if desired
Brush‑On vs Spray: When to Choose Which
- Brush‑on: Winter‑safe; great for selective sheen control and small parts. Avoid thick pooling.
- Spray (rattlecan): Fast for armies/terrain; weather‑dependent; perfect for dead‑even overall sheen.
- Airbrush: Best for ultra‑flat matte on characters and clean satin on vehicles; minimal overspray and no weather worries.
Curing & Handling
- Dry‑to‑touch: 15–60 minutes depending on product and coat weight.
- Handle‑safe: A few hours (be gentle).
- Full cure: 24–72 hours. The finish hardens and scratch resistance improves—especially for polyurethane clears.
Pro Tips That Elevate Your Finish
- Warm the can (gently): In cold rooms, place the sealed rattlecan in lukewarm water for a few minutes to improve atomization (never hot).
- Two‑light setup: Varnish under good lighting at 45°—you’ll spot missed patches and runs instantly.
- Mix, don’t shake (airbrush cup): Stir with a cocktail stick to avoid bubbles in ultra‑matte clears.
- Mask for mixed finishes: Low‑tack tape or liquid mask lets you keep matte on cloth and a crisp satin on armour plates.
- Record your recipe: Note brand, ratio, PSI, room conditions. Reproducible finish is a huge time saver for army projects.
Image Suggestions
- Sheen strip: The same mini under gloss/satin/matte.
- Workflow collage: Gloss for decals → decal setting → matte blend.
- Troubleshooting panel: Frosted vs fixed (gloss rescue), orange peel vs smooth.
- Material demo: Matte cloth next to satin leather and gloss lenses.
Link to Shop
Build your finishing toolkit—matte, satin, gloss, brush‑on, spray, and airbrush‑ready options: Shop Hobby Varnishes & Sealants.
FAQs – Varnishes & Sealants (tap + to expand)
Matte reduces specular shine. If you want metallics to stay lively, finish satin overall and use matte only on cloth/skin areas—or re‑edge metal with a bright highlight after varnish.
Spray indoors in a ventilated space or switch to brush/airbrush clears. Keep temp 15–25 °C and humidity low, apply very light coats, and let each pass flash off. If frosting happens, a thin gloss rescue coat usually clears it.
Multiple thin coats beat one heavy coat. Polyurethane acrylic clears offer tough films; let them fully cure 24–72h before heavy handling.
Before: gloss to create a safe, slick surface for oil/enamel pin‑washes. After: matte or satin to lock the weathering in and set the final sheen.
Some solvent‑based polyurethanes can amber; most modern water‑based acrylics stay clear longer. Minimize UV exposure and store display pieces away from direct sunlight.
For gaming pieces, do 2–3 light coats. The first evens sheen; the second protects; an optional third adds durability on high‑wear areas.
Mixing sheens works best within the same line. Layering different brands is usually fine if each layer cures fully, but always test on a spare bit first.