*
I’m building a large porch. The flooring material is White Oak, 3/4″x2 1/4″, T&G. With the dominance of pressure treated lumber on todays market it seems that maybe traditional exterior varnishing methods may be a lost art. Should I use spar varnish? Should I use urethane? Should I use Wood-life ? Is there a good finisher out ther who can shed some light?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
The RealTruck AMP Research Bedsteps give you easy access to your truck-bed storage.
Featured Video
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Would spar varnish create a potential safety hazard -- creates an awfully slick surface.
*Spar varnish is the way to go if you don't mind a more frequent recoating schedule and the more amber color it will impart. It is the easiest to sand and recoat, either entirely or in high traffic or high sunlight areas. The urethanes are generally harder finishes and will last longer, but are more expensive, require thorough sanding before recoating, and are difficult to blend repairs. Although they are more water white in color, they are usually a little cloudier in multiple coats.After a final sanding of 150 or 180 grit, I would apply the first coat and when dry, sand with 220, this will remove all the goobers that will have been raised with the first coat. After that, it's easiest if you can apply additional coats within 1 day of each other; they will bond to each other chemically and save you the labor of sanding between coats. If more than a day goes by, you should sand, especially if you use a urethane, they don't bond well to anything, including themselves.I would put on 4 or 5 coats at a minimum, more based on your patience and/or expected traffic. Sand the penultimate coat with 220 and then maybe a little 320 before flowing on a slightly (10% or so) thinned last coat to look like a fine porch indeed. I suggest it be done to jazz music except for the last coat, -classical.
*
NO VARNISH! I carefully scraped, primed and painted a front porch last week with PORCH paint. The package said the product "may be slippery when wet" -- it was like ice! Literally, three people fell. Varnish would be worse. I broadcast some sand and will return to do a paint/fine sand mix coat soon.
Use something approved for floor use. There are numerous deck stains and sealers appropriate for walking surfaces. Consider broadcasting or mixing sand in the final coat.
*
Dan's post appeared while typing mine. He has a good point; if you need the traction, you can broadcast sand into the last coat while it is tacky. It makes future sanding a pain, though.
*I must disagree with the esteemed Andrew. If you wish to enjoy the beauty of your wood, you obviously can't paint it. (Floor enamels are essentially the same as spar varnishs with pigment added to them.) Many folks don't understand; the transparent and semi-transparent stain/sealers will not adaquately protect the wood, they merely slow down its rate of decay. They don't protect the appearance of the wood at all, allowing it to weather to gray.As I've said before in these posts, the answer is to look to the wooden boat finishes. These are exposed to extremes of sun and water and still look beautiful. It's done with varnish and regular upkeep, but some of that wood is more than 100 years old. I'll admit that any of the other options are easier; but then why not use pressure treated wood and paint it, or brick, or...
*
aye aye to NEW wooden boat finishes aka.epoxy it then uv protect it. This is the longest lasting least matainance approach. we just did a pine parch the owner did not want to pay for this. we used spar varnish and ahvent had a problem with traction after it had been walked on for a while. We also sent the pine to cox lumber and had it penta-treated.
*Yes, I agree, don't paint the white oak. But I cannot exaggerate the slickness of the enamel and danger posed, so please use the utmost caution whatever you choose. A beautiful VG fir threshold that I stripped and varnished was similarly uncommonly slick. I would investigate using the high-end clear deck treatment and plan to maintain it regularly.
*
Yes marine spar varnish is the best way I know to
show off and protect the wood. There are
additives that can create more of a non-slip
surface that are not made of sand. I will try to
reference a product directly later when I find
literature on hand. I used gloss spar varnish on
various parts of my boat and have not fallen down
yet, though it does enter my mind in rough
seas-this problem may be overrated until you get
some snow. Haven't had my boat in snow to say...
G
*
I just stuck in my gree-treated porch floor this afternoon. Used a mixture of Thompson's water seal and linsed oil. It'll turn dark, but that's okay.
*
Can anyone tell me more about marine grade spar varnishes vs. oil based polyurethanes? Has anyone used Armor-seal, by General Finishes ? Someone told me to cut the wash-coat of spar varnish with Wood-life, 50/50, let dry,scuff-sand, repeat varnish/Wood-life, let dry, scuff, then build up succcessive coats with 100% spar varnish. Comments ?
*
1-800-PENOFIN Check out their website. All petroleum based finishes are subject to UV degredation. Penofin's warranty is double all others. I use it exclusivley. They make a marine
finish. You will NEVER find it at Home Depot.
Good Luck, Rick
*I must live in a depressed area -- or maybe they are just too practical -- but I have never seen varnished oak on an exposed exterior porch floor. Are these people planning to hire you every other spring to refinish the floor and keep it beautiful?
*
Johnson:
How exposed is the porch? Will it be covered or
greatly shaded by the building
itself/trees/neighbor's buildings, etc.? I assume
it is not completely enclosed.
MD
*
I'm building a large porch. The flooring material is White Oak, 3/4"x2 1/4", T&G. With the dominance of pressure treated lumber on todays market it seems that maybe traditional exterior varnishing methods may be a lost art. Should I use spar varnish? Should I use urethane? Should I use Wood-life ? Is there a good finisher out ther who can shed some light?