Sealing End Grain - Picnic Bench

[Pink Freud]

I'm building a Picnic Bench from 2x6 / 2x4 tanalized softwood and was hoping for some advice on sealing all the cuts (especially the legs) to prevent them from wicking moisture. I've read that ppl use epoxy resin, but some state that plain old pva is good enough. The bench will be sitting on grass and will most likely stay there, due to the weight of it #-o

 

[ED65]

While the fully waterproof PVAs might work well enough it would be safer to use epoxy, which is really the gold standard.

If cost is a concern you don't need posh epoxy here, Poundland stuff will work just fine.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mine sat on flashband for years.

 

[Pink Freud]

Cheers Guys. could i dilute the epoxy mix with a small amount of isopropyl alchohol to make it easier for the wood to draw it up?

 

[mrpercysnodgrass]

If you have a hot air gun you can brush the epoxy onto the end grain then warm it up with the gun, this will make it sink right down into the grain, keep brushing the epoxy on until no more gets absorbed.

 

[ED65]

Yes it's better to heat the wood to reduce the epoxy's viscosity. Alcohol or acetone do thin epoxies very effectively but apparently this weakens them, and although diluting a small amount probably doesn't make that much difference heat gives you the kind of penetration you'd get if you diluted quite a bit.

When going for deep penetration of epoxy I always pre-heat the wood, then heat at least one more time after application as the epoxy will cool the wood slightly when it goes on. Do not pre-heat the epoxy itself unless using a very slow-setting type!

If you put chamfers around the feet be sure to treat the chamfer surfaces also, in which case you'd probably want to make a projecting dam of masking tape (sort of like this) around the feet to prevent epoxy running down the legs.

BTW if you don't have a heat gun a good hair dryer can heat the wood enough.

 

[Pink Freud]

Excellent advice guys, greatly appreciated. I don't own a heat gun, but as i live with 4 women, obtaining a hair dryer will be no problem :lol:
Would it be best to apply this treatment to all exposed cuts or do i only really need to treat the legs? Just a thought, but doesn't the cheap epoxy turn a nasty amber/nicotine colour when set? is there any cheap stuff that sets clear?

 

[Droogs]

never had a problem with the stuff out of poundland. and incedentaly nicotine doesn't have a colour, its odourless, tasteless and colourless. It's the tar that colours fingers

 

[LancsRick]

Exterior woodwork novice here. Why wouldn't the same sort of paints you use for exterior woodwork work just as well for the end grain?

 

[Pink Freud]

never had a problem with the stuff out of poundland. and incedentaly nicotine doesn't have a colour, its odourless, tasteless and colourless. It's the tar that colours fingers

ok , i stand corrected, no need to split hairs though. So if i'm looking at 26 faces of 2x6 and 10 of 2x4, with many being mitered or beveled ..how many of those twin tubes would i be needing, assuming that i do in fact need to do every face, and not just the legs.

 

[ColeyS1]

Think I'd just worry about the ones in direct contact with the grass tbh


Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[ColeyS1]

Exterior woodwork novice here. Why wouldn't the same sort of paints you use for exterior woodwork work just as well for the end grain?

I'm wondering the same

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

 

[custard]

The design height from floor to table top is commonly given in the range 28 1/2" to 32".

So, no faffing around required, just make your picnic table 32" tall, when it starts to show signs of rot at the base of the legs spend five minutes sawing off 3 1/2". Bingo, instant added service life.

:wink:

 

[Doug71]

I sometimes use an end grain sealer by Teknos on some of my joinery, dead easy to apply. I don't use it that often though so can't vouch for how good it is.

https://www.glenwooddecoratingsupplies. ... 750ml-p419

 

[ED65]

So if i'm looking at 26 faces of 2x6 and 10 of 2x4, with many being mitered or beveled ..how many of those twin tubes would i be needing, assuming that i do in fact need to do every face, and not just the legs.

It's really only the exposed end grain you need to seal (for once this word means what it actually says!) and only the feet are a priority. You can apply epoxy to all exposed end grain if you really want to but it's a bit overkill unless you're trying to make the thing last generations.

If you did want to epoxy the entire surface of the bench you want CPES. After you've seen the price of it :shock: you might rethink how vital you feel it is :lol: And in addition it requires overcoating in a proper marine varnish. Not yacht varnish from B&Q, the kind of stuff sold in a chandler's, e.g. Epifanes, which is also expensive. And you have to be fond of that look varnished woodwork has on boats.

Exterior woodwork novice here. Why wouldn't the same sort of paints you use for exterior woodwork work just as well for the end grain?

For one because paints aren't good penetrators, the pigments aren't transported into wood to any depth worth noting (paint penetration in wood is actually comically shallow).

In addition to this most exterior paints aren't good sealers, in fact some are deliberately made not to be. Instead they allow moisture through. This sounds like it wouldn't be what you want but it allows water out, instead of trapping it inside (not permanently, just for longer) where it can do more harm.

 

[Pink Freud]

NIce one guys, i think ima just do the leg cuts and leave it at that. Thx for all advice and help. Very much appreciated :mrgreen:

 

[will1983]

Check out Barattine clear wood preservative. I have used this before and would definitely use it again in future.
To get really good penetration you could thin it but it isn't really necessary, just stand the exposed ends in the stuff and leave it over night.

 

[hawkeyefxr]

We have a round picnic table we bought about 3 years ago, It was treated soft wood and it always covered during the winter. On my early visit to the shed this year i noticed that that the legs had green mould on them.
So, i drilled the feet with a 10mm drill and put 2 stainless steel bolts in each of the eight legs held in with gorilla glue. I know this works as i did the same on the steps leading up to our decking.
I then gave it a good coat of Tung oil and the soft wood was looking very bleached. It now look s better than new.