Spelunx
14th November 2018, 11:28 PM
I am making a bar from a slab of Jarrah. It will be sitting under a patio, not exposed to rain, but some sun and moisture.
Not sure what to finish it with, I am thinking of doing a couple of coats of epoxy, and then a couple of coats of varnish.
firstly, is this a good finish for this purpose?
If the slab is 500 wide and 2900 long, how many liters of epoxy would I need? I am a bit concerned about the cost.
Any other ideas for a hard wearing finish?
orraloon
17th November 2018, 11:27 AM
I would use an outdoor furniture oil as an easy to maintain finish. Jarrah is a hard wood so an oil finish will be hard wearing enough. Being outdoors any finish will require to be redone in a few years so with an oil finish its just a clean and some more oil. With a hard finish its a major job involving sanding back. Comes down to how much work you want keeping it looking good.
Something like this.
Outdoor Furniture Oil | Penetrating Oil For Outdoor Furniture (http://www.feastwatson.com.au/consumer/products/exterior/product-details/1555)
Regards
John
China
17th November 2018, 03:10 PM
I have been using this for years on various items spa,etc. very happy with it https://preschem.com/products/timber-protection/aussie-clear/
AngelaPetruzzi
21st November 2018, 11:37 AM
Exactly as Orraloon said. With a penetrating oil, it nourishes the timber and allows for ease of rejuvenation if or when required. With any outdoor coatings, it is not so much which product to use, but what the maintenance will be. Be aware, some oils are synthetic and leave a film.
rod1949
21st November 2018, 10:22 PM
My experience with these so called deck oils is that they are nothing more then dirty coloured water and after awhile it just dis-appears.
I wouldn't rush imto sealing it as given it a fair size it will just do its own thing it terms of continuing to dry out thus twist and cup and crack.
orraloon
22nd November 2018, 11:21 AM
My experience with these so called deck oils is that they are nothing more then dirty coloured water and after awhile it just dis-appears.
I wouldn't rush imto sealing it as given it a fair size it will just do its own thing it terms of continuing to dry out thus twist and cup and crack.
Not all deck oils are the same. I agree with you on the so called water based oils. (How can you even have such a thing) Horrible stuff and I was dumb enough to listen to the paint expert at the green shed and put it on my deck. Anyhow next time round I will have to get out the sander and get back to bare wood.
The stuff I refer to is a clear oil based product and does a great job. It can be a bit confusing looking through the shelves for oil finish as there are so darn many to choose from. My advice is if the cleanup and thinning instructions say water then give it a miss.
Regards
John