# Epoxy cure time to varnish

**URL:** <https://forum.clcboats.com/t/epoxy-cure-time-to-varnish/45412>\
**Category:** Builder's Forum\
**Created:** [June 11, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/epoxy-cure-time-to-varnish/45412 "2017-06-11T20:59:40Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Steve\_Halpern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Steve\_Halpern](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Steve_Halpern)\
**Post date:** [June 11, 2017, 8:59pm UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/epoxy-cure-time-to-varnish/45412/1 "2017-06-11T20:59:40Z")

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I'm about to put the last thin &nbsp;coat of MAS epoxy on my deck to make sure the fiberglass cloth is&nbsp;filled in.&nbsp;How long should I wait for it to completely cure&nbsp;before I can lightly sand it and move to&nbsp;applying coats of varnish. The temps here in the northeast average in the high 70s -80s right now.

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**Author:** ![Laszlo\_Morocz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c68b51/32.png) [@Laszlo\_Morocz](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Laszlo_Morocz)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2017, 6:26am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/epoxy-cure-time-to-varnish/45412/2 "2017-06-12T06:26:00Z")

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I like to wait until the boat is structurally finished and I've had a chance to try it out on the water. That way, if I need to change something I don't have to undo/redo weeks of sanding and varnishing. It doean't hurt anything to take it out a couple of times dressed only in its epoxy underwear.

But, if that makes you uncomfortable, you can try waiting until you cannot dent the epoxy with a thumbnail, then carefully attempt to sand it. If the epoxy comes off as dry dust, you're ready to sand. If it balls up and clogs the paper, you need to wait a bit longer. Based on your temperatures (and assuming slow hardener) I'm guessing 2 to 4 days.

Good luck,

Laszlo

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**Author:** ![Steve\_Halpern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Steve\_Halpern](https://forum.clcboats.com/u/Steve_Halpern)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2017, 5:25am UTC](https://forum.clcboats.com/t/epoxy-cure-time-to-varnish/45412/3 "2017-06-13T05:25:33Z")

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&nbsp; Thanks Laszio! That's just what I needed.&nbsp;