Varnish is a
transparent, hard, protective finish or film that is primarily used in
wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a
drying oil, a
resin, and a
thinner or
solvent. Varnish finishes are usually
glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss sheens by the addition of "flatting" agents. Varnish has little or no
color, is transparent, and has no added
pigment, as opposed to
paints or
wood stains, which contain pigment and generally range from
opaque to
translucent. Varnishes are also applied over wood stains as a final step to achieve a film for gloss and protection. Some products are marketed as a combined stain and varnish.