: Not if the varnish is properly thinned and applied. If your varnish doesn't
: completely level, it's either too thick (thin it ~10%) or partially cured
: (throw it away).

: Not if you tip them out with a brush. The roll and tip method is standard for
: applying marine paint and varnish. It's fast (important when varnishing
: large areas) and produces a smooth, bubble-free finish.

: As I said before, I can't think of a single good reason to use a squeegee of
: any type with varnish. If you ask people who varnish wood for a living,
: none of them use a squeegee. Most probably use brushes, but rolling and
: tipping is more appropriate for the large areas of a kayak.

: If you want to try a squeegee, go for it, but I doubt you'll like it. I
: strongly suspect that it will be a very slow process and it will be hard
: to control the varnish and prevent it from running. Moving quickly is
: necessary to avoid obvious "seams" where your passes overlap. If
: a brush leaves streaks, your squeegee will, too. If you decide to go this
: route, I'd use a slow curing varnish to make sure you have enough working
: time to get the job done before it cures appreciably.

I agree with Brian.

No reason that varnish shouldn't flatten on it's own. You have to trust your materials.

I roll and tip using foam roller covers and foam brushes. I used to spend a fortune on badger brushes, the foam ones work just as well or better and it's a lot faster.

Btw, you have to have a warm shop for this, at 60 degrees the starts to thicken and won't self level also at colder temps the bubbles from the roller don't tip out as well. Same problems at very warm temps. Room temperature is best.

Bill H.