Traditional Spar Varnish

Durable protection for all wood and metal surfaces - interior and exterior.
For use in marine, architectural, and decorative projects, without solvents.
Made in France by the same family since 1906.

Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish

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Known to generations of Europe’s finest boat builders and craftsmen.

Varnish from before it was a product.

The ancient marine cultures of South East Asia used natural oils that they cooked in precise ways to preserve and protect wood. They taught these techniques to French colonialists, and Le Tonkinois was born. This is an old, traditional marine varnish that was used long before the invention of modern chemical varnishes and epoxies that are known, today, to crack and peel. Staying true to their roots for over a century, Le Tonkinois is a penetrating linseed oil varnish that preserves and protects wood from the inside out.

Since this time, Le Tonkinois has been the choice for Europe’s fine boat builders and craftsmen, including the legendary Onassis yacht, "Christina O", originally finished with 25 coats.

Marine-grade protection without damaging solvents or plastic binders.

Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish is a blend of linseed oil and tung oil, cooked together in a proprietary process to form a unique penetrating varnish. It is completely natural, nourishes and integrates with wood, and remains flexible. This varnish never peels, is long-lasting, and is easy to maintain. Le Tonkinois is highly effective - even under extreme conditions. It offers very good resistance to UV light, to salt water, and to abrasion. It also offers excellent protection from corrosion on clean, dry metal surfaces.

Tough for outside. Safe for inside.

While Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish offers a high resistance to extremes of weather and marine conditions, it is also completely natural and safe to use on indoor surfaces such as floors, counters, furniture, and more. It can also be used instead of epoxy as a very resilient finish for metal surfaces, concrete floors and counters, earthen floors, or any surface where a tough, entirely water repellent finish is desired.

Well documented.

Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish has been made in France by the same family since 1906 from a formula found during the French colonial occupation of Viet Nam. Its true age is unknown.

It is well used and documented by the French Navy regarding its reliability and high quality of preservation on wood and metal surfaces, and it has been the official varnish of the French Navy for almost 100 years.

Easy application and maintenance over time.

Apply all coats straight out of the can without the need add solvents or thinners. The varnish can be applied with a brush, roller, pad applicator, or sprayer. Once the surface is dry (after about 24 hours), sand lightly and apply another coat. Use Le Tonkinois Bio Impression Oil to impregnate wood before the first coat of varnish for even longer lasting results. Le Tonkinois varnish is glossy out of the can, but the sheen can be controlled by adding Le Tonkinois Gelomat to the final coat. Maintain over time by cleaning the surface and applying more coats.

It is possible to tint Le Tonkinois Linseed Oil Varnish with colour using natural paste pigments.

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