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EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 10:49 am
by bigtalljv
This should have been a question but now it's an "experience". I recently decided to refinish the wood exterior doors, that I am not replacing, about 10 years too late. I have spent several days sanding the top 1/16 that has deteriorated to mush after I spent several days bleaching the mold out of them. They look better but not perfect. Still serviceable.

So yesterday I pulled them down for clear coat. I had seen Joel's post about his table and how he used just a few ounces on his table and though great it's got good coverage. So I mixed up twice that for my two doors, they are 75% glass anyway, lots less surface area, and started rolling. I was then reminded if the most amazing thing. Real wood soaks up finish like a sponge. My first two coats went poof and sucked right in. The third coat was looking better so I stopped there. I let it dry over night and got up this morning and hit it with 320 and the final coat. They are looking pretty good but I've used just over half a quart on them. It's turned out to be a very expensive two doors.

I have three more that I need to do. All in the same shape except the front which is covered and has held up better. The front door is all wood, lots of surface area. So the question is should I epoxy coat them first? Instead of sealing with the most expensive finish on the planet do I used a coat or two of expoxy to seal and then clear coat?

Thanks
Jason

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 11:02 am
by Cracker Larry
That's what I would do.

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:09 pm
by tech_support
So the question is should I epoxy coat them first?
absolutely, it will save you time and money

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 12:25 pm
by bigtalljv
yeah, that dawned on me right after the first coat of the EMC.......$%%$#!!!

Now I'm experienced :doh:

Jason

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 1:58 pm
by bigtalljv
what's the best way to seal with epoxy? Am I looking to get the wood fully covered and glossy or just go with the first coat that soaks in?

Jason

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 2:18 pm
by tech_support
I use 2 coats; I like to roll a thin coat on first, to seal up the wood so air bubbles do not come through on the second coat. On the second coat you can go pretty heavy, especially if the doors are laying flat.

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 2:54 pm
by Cracker Larry
I also use 2 coats of epoxy. I'm using a lot of clear finished cypress on the GF18 I'm building and it sucks up finish like a sponge. On the steering pod I used 2 coats of epoxy, sanded between, then 4 coats of EMC. The epoxy seals the wood, the clear coat gives the finish and UV protection. Epoxy is less than $100 a gallon. Compared to about $400 a gallon for the clear coat.

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Mon Jan 19, 2015 3:35 pm
by bigtalljv
Cracker Larry wrote:I also use 2 coats of epoxy. I'm using a lot of clear finished cypress on the GF18 I'm building and it sucks up finish like a sponge. On the steering pod I used 2 coats of epoxy, sanded between, then 4 coats of EMC. The epoxy seals the wood, the clear coat gives the finish and UV protection. Epoxy is less than $100 a gallon. Compared to about $400 a gallon for the clear coat.
Thanks joel/Larry,

The cost issue was what got me when I initially thought I could get all 5 of my doors done with the quart, then I used half that quart on two of the smaller doors!!

Ah well, live and learn. I'll just buy more and Joel is that much closer to retirement :)

Jason

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 11:58 am
by bigtalljv
So they look much better. This is not the exact same door before and after but the condition was pretty much identical. I still need to clean the glass. It's a lot of glass with a razor blade.

Before:
Image

After:
Image

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:15 pm
by ks8
nice doors. I can see why you want to preserve them. :)

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 12:18 pm
by tech_support
8)

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 2:07 pm
by Cracker Larry
Looks great! I've got a front door that I need to do the same thing to.

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Tue Jan 20, 2015 2:22 pm
by bigtalljv
i have two sets of french doors and and one solid front door left to do. I also have to build a replacement for another entrance.

Jason

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:42 am
by bigtalljv
ok, i started on the next set. I spent 6 or 7 hours sanding and got the first coat of epoxy on today. You can see in the last picture that it went on a little heavier in places than I would have liked. It soaked in completely some and bubbled in other and was just lumpy elsewhere. I will give it a good sanding tomorrow and get the second coat on then several coats of EMC clear after that.

Bleached:
Image

Sanding:
Image

First coat epoxy:
Image

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Thu Jan 29, 2015 12:04 pm
by ks8
Wow, nice! :D

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:36 pm
by bigtalljv
Now the front door. I am quite pleased with the results. I hope this EMC lasts a long time. I really want to forget I had to do this.

Before
Image

After
Image

Re: EMC clear coat and real wood

Posted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:39 am
by tech_support
nice!
I hope this EMC lasts a long time.
well, its the same stuff that goes on the hulls of boats and also aircraft......so Im betting you have time to forget the pain :)