Sealing Plywood?

[hiddenmagnolia]

yep most outside lines have a clear finish. cabot has it in the siding and fence line semi trans. oil finish can be tinted or used natural.

 

[CubRed]

Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane...works very well



http://www.minwax.com/products/oil_based_clear_protective_finishes/helmsman_spar_urethane.html

 

[SillyChicken]

You'll want something that will soak into the wood, urethanes will just sit on top like paint and after a few years will chip and bubble up (especially if the coop is humid inside). I'm going to use cabot untinted stain on mine.

 

[CubRed]

wished I'd known that...

looking forward to see just how long that'll be...s/w facing windows and doors been coated with Helmsman for pert near 10yrs!

 

[Barred Rocker]

Whichever you decide to put on it, you're going to have to stay on top of it. Plywood and moisture don't get along at all. So you're probably going to have to treat it at least once a year. Once untreated plywood gets wet it'll warp like crazy. polyurethane will work for a while but weather changes in temp and moisture will cause it to flake off eventually even with a marine grade varnish. Thompson's water seal may be your best bet but you'll need to apply it once a year minumum.

 

[CityChook]

I put (Behr-Home Depot) deck sealer on the exterior of my coop and it lasted ONE winter. It peeled up immediately in spring. Had to be sanded off - what a mess.

Now I used plain ol' Linseed oil, mixed 50/50 with mineral spirits. It soaks right in, dries in a day (quicker if the weather is good) and lasts through the harsh winter. I re-coat every spring. Paint it on (it's thin, but sticky), let it soak in for 15 minutes and wipe away any residual. Honestly, on my coop, there is never any residual - it all soaks in. Sometimes I put on two coats. Takes about an hour for my 6x8 coop, so not bad. It seals the wood from moisture and gives it a natural, clear stain. I've been treating my teak patio furniture with this same mixture every spring for 12 years and it still looks good as new.

ETA: I didn't go cheap, but I certainly could have spent more. Maybe the coop is just too exposed to the elements? Maybe it didn't absorb enough after the stain was applied? Don't know. Either way, I won't make that mistake again.

 

[randomchick]

This is my husbands line of buisness and he is very confident that a clear deck sealer works great. He says that you can go cheap, or a little more expensive, but some of the cheaper ones will only last a year where as we have used some that have lasted a good 5 years or so without problem. It also depends on how many elements your coop is exposed to. The sunny side will wear quicker.

 

[cristina33]

hahaha read the title wrong and thought it said Stealing Plywood !

 

[aprophet]

Quote:
do they make deck sealer in a clear finish?

west system , raka and system three make epoxy sealer that is wht the folks who build stripper canoes use . I am a big fan of linseed oil and mineral spirits on my small wooden boats they seem to wear really well oh yea most of my boats are built from plywood BC southern pine HTH

 

[team_realtree]

Do you guys know if these products you are suggesting to me can be applied in sub 10C temps? Most exterior paints say to use 10C or above. The highest forcast temp for me in the next week is -4C.

Can I leave the plywood untreated for the rest of the winter til temps start to warm up? I would be putting a tarp against all exterior walls to avoid snow coming in contact with it.