Wood working question

[slothead]

The arrival of nice weather got me working on some wood projects - a stand for the electric smoker and now a 'live edge' slab dining table for the deck. The table top is a 29" by 55" solid piece of 2" thick white pine that's been sanded smooth and after a few final passes with 150 - 180 grit sandpaper will be ready to finish.

I tried Watco Teak oil on a piece of scrap wood and like the result, but am not sure if this treatment is enough to protect a table that will be outside. Anyone know if wood with a Teak (or Tung) oil finish can or should be protected with a top coat of something like polyurethane or epoxy resin?

Any thought folks have will greatly appreciated.

Slothead

[waaytoomuchintothis]

When I build wooden boats I sometimes use a Watco product. Which product are you looking at? Watco finish does have to be renewed over the years, because no matter what anyone says, the sun will mess up any finish. Watco oil, especially the ones with a nice stain mixed in, will give as much UV protection as most and a lot more than others. The key to Watco oils is that renewing it is a snap so you don't mind having to do it every few years in the South, or every decade up north where this kind of furniture is brought in for the winter. Its best to store the furniture out of direct sunlight no matter what. Be sure you have the Watco product for exteriors.

Are you sure that wood is white pine? It seems unlikely for outdoor use because NWP (Northern White Pine) has become expensive over the years, and a 2 inch thick plank of it would be hard to set for a tabletop. If it came from one of the "big box" home improvent places, it is likely to be something called "white wood", which may be white spruce, white cedar or white pitch, none of which do well in the sun. They have lots of little dark knots you can identify them with and whitewood is very cheap to buy. White pine is a straight-grain very clear wood. I ask because no amount of anything will protect whitewood outdoors. It actually does better uncoated, but it weathers ugly. White oak or mahogany are my favorites for outdoor pieces, and expensive woods like northern cedars and Indian teak for boats.

Here's a Watco article commentary written by Watco:
"This finish soaks deep into wood pores to provide protection from the inside out. Because it hardens inside the wood, it will never chip, peel or wear away. Made from a unique blend of penetrating oil and varnish that stains, seals and protects in one easy step, it enhances the natural look and feel of the wood, and creates the rich, warm glow of a hand-rubbed finish. Great for furniture, trim, molding or any other bare wood interior surface. Simply wipe on with a brush or cloth."

I also recommend that you close the end grain of every plank with polyurethane varnish. The very reason I don't like to use it for nice woodworking is the reason to use it here. That glop is hard as armor, and fills the end grain perfectly to prevent dry spots. Putting a varnish over Watco ruins the finish, by changing the hand rubbed look to a plasticy satin or semigloss. Stay away from any of those water-based outfits. Its short life garbage, and very very fussy. If there is any pine tar product anywhere in the shop (like tack rags and dust wipes that every shop uses) when you apply that junk, it won't harden.

Just a tip, like the one about never painting where sheetrock mudding is going on. The fumes turn wet paint yellow.

[slothead]

I got the wood from a local guy who buys all sorts of logs and cuts them up to make beams, boards, and slabs. The piece I got is 29" x 55" and a little over 2" thick (cost me $20). He said it's white pine and also has many different solid slices that are 10' to 12' long and 6' wide. I'm in Maine where timber is a major industry.

My auto repair shop has an 8' x 2' counter top made from such a single 2" thick slice. The owner finished it herself with a polyurethane coating used for wood floors. It has a beautiful amber honey-like color under a thick glossy top coat that protects the wood. But that counter top is inside while my table top will be outside (mounted to an old metal sewing machine base).

The table will be on a deck that's next to a big maple tree and in constant shade during spring and summer. The table will be stored in the barn cellar (dirt floor) during the winter. It will get wet from rain while out on the deck, but won't be in the sun much at all.

I used Watco Teak oil on a scrap piece and it was easy to apply and looks nice. From what I've found out online Teak oil is a good choice for finishing exterior wood surfaces, but won't provide the same surface protection from nicks and scratches a heavy coat of polyurethane would. The Teak oil can says it can be covered with polyurethane, just let it dry 72 hours first. This is what I'm debating - going with Teak oil alone, polyurethane alone, or Teak oil then polyurethane. If just using Teak oil will protect it enough from water and spills, I'm okay with redoing it every other year or so since it's only about 12 square feet in all.

Slothead

[waaytoomuchintothis]

The way I see it, your only drawback is the way it will look. Urethane is thick and hard, and for outdoor use it is okay especially in the "Spar Varnish" type (extra silica for UV protection, and very reflective for the same reason), but if you do that, save money (and the high quality stuff for later), and use a cheap Minwax stain first. There's loads of shades (cherry, chestnut or dark teak look good on Northern White Pine. By the way, a 5 foot wide slab of NWP is a dream come true for woodworkers. Cure it carefully and long, vented on all sides, and press it under serious weight. Its worth the trouble, and rare as hell. To show you how rare, if I were a younger man, I would already be asking for an address to go to.

Ask your friend if he can get you Larch, especially the lowest part of the tree where the knees are. Larch knees from Maine were the only way to hold decks in place in wooden ships, and every below decks photo you ever saw of wooden ships had triangular Larch knees holding the decks to the hull. Maine wood harvesters have a 300+ year history, and its a good feeling to know they are still active. A nice chunk of Larch hardwood will give you something to build exquisite pieces from for the rest of your life. I have a cache of real, honest to god old Chestnut I treasure.

The biggest fine wood I ever owned was a 5 foot wide barn plank from a Vermont barn built before the American Revolution. It was an amazing 22 feet long and almost 4 inches thick. Flat as it could be. Had to be delivered on an 18 wheeler flatbed, all the way from Vermont to Central Texas in winter to keep from warping in the Texas summer sun. That old farmer, whomever he was, knew how to rick up fresh cut wood, and I was very grateful well over 200 years later. I had to contract out a planer many miles away, and still resaw the plank, but it was incredibly beautiful. There's a formal dining table in the Regency style (highest price I ever got for a commission), in Texas that was made from part of it, and a long bar in a place called Diamondback's has a 22 foot long chunk with one joint. One of the longest bars in Texas. I have the scraps to this day. I envy your find, and I hope it comes out perfect for you. Ask anything you want to know, I'll be proud to help.