Outdoor clear coat

cdavi126

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Joined
Oct 17, 2019
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7
Hello

I have made some mahogany planter boxes, wondering what is the best outdoor clear coat to put on them to withstand the weather.  The current clear coat has started fading the wood to gray.

 
A few years ago I built some outdoor furniture. Following an article in Fine Woodworking, I used CPES (Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer) and then Epifanes clear varnish.  It’s not totally clear — it adds a little yellow color — but it has held up well so far. The weather here (SF Bay Area, California) is mild - no freezing temps but lots of sun - so YMMV.

 
cdavi126 said:
Hello

I have made some mahogany planter boxes, wondering what is the best outdoor clear coat to put on them to withstand the weather.  The current clear coat has started fading the wood to gray.
My experience is this.  Sherwin Williams A 100 Ultradeep base Exterior Latex This is the base paint without any color added. No color tint added. Tell the  paint store (over their insistence) you dont need any color tint. Really. Out of the can it looks like Elmers glue. Go ahead an apply it with a brush being careful not to add it too thick, otherwise it will dry to the consistency of dried soft glue.  Dont be alarmed by the white paint look--it will dry to clear.  Maintenance is as easy as scuffing it a  little bit and repaint it with the same stuff.  It is as durable as any good exterior colored paint used.  Try it you will become a believer.
 
vkumar said:
My experience is this.  Sherwin Williams A 100 Ultradeep base Exterior Latex This is the base paint without any color added. No color tint added. Tell the  paint store (over their insistence) you dont need any color tint. Really. Out of the can it looks like Elmers glue. Go ahead an apply it with a brush being careful not to add it too thick, otherwise it will dry to the consistency of dried soft glue.  Dont be alarmed by the white paint look--it will dry to clear.  Maintenance is as easy as scuffing it a  little bit and repaint it with the same stuff.  It is as durable as any good exterior colored paint used.  Try it you will become a believer.

Any particular sheen you recommend? I've heard gloss holds up better in the sun when applying spar varnish. Not sure if it matters with latex.
 
I used a satin sheen. Attached is a picture of the product that I used.

p.s I decided to go this route after researching woodworking forums (woodnet) and listened to the wisdom of many experts who had done some incredible testing before recommending this (weeks of exposure in the hot Texas sun, dogs doing their thing etc.)
 

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vkumar said:
I used a satin sheen. Attached is a picture of the product that I used.

p.s I decided to go this route after researching woodworking forums (woodnet) and listened to the wisdom of many experts who had done some incredible testing before recommending this (weeks of exposure in the hot Texas sun, dogs doing their thing etc.)

I'd really appreciate some photos and follow up on how this is working. Loving the concept. Thanks

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duburban said:
vkumar said:
I used a satin sheen. Attached is a picture of the product that I used.

p.s I decided to go this route after researching woodworking forums (woodnet) and listened to the wisdom of many experts who had done some incredible testing before recommending this (weeks of exposure in the hot Texas sun, dogs doing their thing etc.)

I'd really appreciate some photos and follow up on how this is working. Loving the concept. Thanks

[member=163]vkumar[/member]  I second the feedback request...this could be an interesting solution for a lot of outdoor items.  [smile]
 
Ok a year later I decided to do another coat. No sanding , no scrubbing.  Just wiped the surface with a damp cloth and painted again.  I was not too careful with the thickness of paint, so ended up globbing in few places,. It shows up as a white mess--if i really cared I would scrape it and paint again, but I was out of paint from last year.  But if you are careful and get the thickness right it goes on great.
 

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Hmm, looks looks like a teak table. That’s exactly one of my concerns... been doing Surfix every year for the last 6 years on teak and it always needs to be reapplied every year. It’s a yearly process and it gets redundant after several applications.
 
I dont think it is teak.  Bought it from Cost Plus World Imports. Made in Malaysia or Indonesia.  I think they call it rubber wood.
It did not need another coat.  I was just cleaning out the paint can. In fact the finish looked quite good and would have been fine for another couple of years. It sits in out back yard exposed part of the day to the sun. In the bay area California.
 
There's only one name you need to know: Target Coatings EM9300. Properly applied it's practically bulletproof. I live in Colorado and it holds up against the punishing UV at 7000' and having snow sit on it.
 
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