Thread: Need help with finishing 2x4 treated pine bench

Originally Posted by barrysumpter

Ok thanks anyway.

Barry, what I think I am seeing are gaps where the material being glued together doesn't meet -- implying that you have used the liquid nails as a gap filler rather than an adhesive.
I doubt that as is you can gun any additional liquid nails into the gaps.
Opening the gaps up with a circ. saw or jig saw or router should create a gap wide enough that you could caulk it with a marine (or outdoor) caulking product -- I suggest black -- that will make the gaps look a design feature.

Thanks Ian.
I had deduced the squeeze out was from clamping it really tight.


Am I looking too hard?
https://www.bunnings.com.au/polyfill...iller_p1210571

Barry
as far as I know, liquid nails, is a construction adhesive designed to be used in the form of "blobs" rather than as a continuous glue line.

I still think your best approach is to take the bench apart and start again. I suspect that the core problem is that the 4 x 2s aren't straight and square and a consistent thickness.
For the rebuild you could nail laminate the 4 x 2s together using 4 or 5 in long nails driven at a skew avoiding liquid nails altogether.

If this is unpalatable, I think your best approach is to open up the gaps and gun in a flexible sealant.

Ok thanks again Ian.

A few tips....

You can get kiln dried pressure treated wood - but it is not normally common.. If you want to glue and finish it, I would recommend this. Check with a good lumberyard. If you don't - it can take a couple years to dry fully so it quits shrinking. The wet wood will shrink away from any epoxy or varnish coating - and this will cause finishes to crack, flake, and peel badly..

Next - pressure treated woods don't always take glue and stain evenly when fresh... The chemicals can cause stains to absorb unevenly - leaving a blotchy mess.. They tend to take stains much better after a year or 3 out in the weather..

All of that together - plus the continuous wet/dry/hot/cold cycles is probably a reason you see the typical construction used. Gaps mean the wood won't break other pieces loose when it swells or shrinks.. Screws mean pieces don't fall off when they move around...

Selleys Liquid Nails Heavy Duty | Selleys Australia

How to use this product

Avoid contact with skin and eyes.
Surfaces to be bonded should be free of oil, grease and dust. On wet timber pooled water should be wiped off. Cut cartridge tip, fit nozzle and cut end to desired opening. (Approx 5 mm diameter).

WET BOND METHOD

Direct a bead along the length of the joist, stud or batten. On broad flat surfaces apply beads every 40 cm. (‘zig-zag’ beads are more appropriate on surfaces of moderate width; eg shiplap panels.)
Fix with sufficient nails, screws or clamping to hold load and achieve contact over the total bond area. Wet bonds are repositionable for up to 15 mins after fitting.
Allow adhesives to set (at least 8 hours) before removing any temporary fasteners or clamping.(Refer to Bond Strength Time.)
CONTACT BOND METHOD – for faster grab

Apply a bead to one surface only, press together and pull apart.
Allow surfaces to dry 2-4 minutes before firmly joining. Surfaces should not be kept apart for longer than 10 minutes as to do so will impair bond strength
Flooring:
When fixing sheet flooring (e.g. particleboard), use in conjunction with flooring manufacturer’s installation specifications for minimum nailing requirements. Note: To eliminate squeaks in tongue and groove flooring, use Liquid Nails Heavy Duty in conjunction with mechanical fixings.

Handy tips

Time for strong bond depends on nature and condition of application. In most situations^ strong bond can be achieved after 8 hours and will continue to strengthen over a 2-3 day period. Full cure can take up to 7 days.
^Curing is achieved by evaporation of solvent. The time required to achieve the bond’s full strength is increased by: constant low temperatures; thick applications (joints) are used; wide areas are bonded; and when bonded surfaces are impervious (e.g. metals and dense timbers).

Over the last couple of years I have done or been part of a very great deal of outdoor construction projects using H4 treated pine. Profiles of 150x150, 200x100 and smaller.

We have used scores of tubes of Sikaflex Pro as a sealant, glue, and filler. As a glue it is very strong and there has been no evidence of joints breaking. As a filler it remains rubbery and so will expand and contract with the timber, but this also means that it will concave and convex as well (get over it).

It can be sanded and accepts paint readily.

It is expensive at ~$18 a tube, but can be had for less on eBay in a bulk box of 12 tubes.

No product that anyone on these projects has used comes even close to it.


For one joint which was two 150x25 H4 boards joined on the 25mm face I used Dominoes and Titebond 3, and the board was then painted. It faces north and gets all the elements. It has not degraded in 2½ years including the hottest summer on record.

http://cabots.com.au/media/1210/cabo...ject-guide.pdf

The client (wife) settled on the polyfilla (for the price), New Jarra (for the colour) and Ultraclear (water based and very long lasting - planning on 5 coats)

https://www.bunnings.com.au/polyfill...iller_p1210571
https://www.bunnings.com.au/cabot-s-...stain_p1520175
https://www.bunnings.com.au/intergra...inish_p1520102

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Caterpillar to butterfly. Beautiful.

Thats's a fine looking bench you built there. I would hardly believe it was pressure treated lumber.

Thanks to all for your continued support.

Much appreciated.

3rd of 5 coats of UltraClear.

Will have to improve on my staining technique.

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