# Need the BEST, TOUGHEST finish to withstand Texas Sun!



## casper6871 (Sep 13, 2010)

Ive got oak wood columns all around the perimeter of my house and the ones that get the afternoon sun have to be re done every 2 years due to peeling etc. Can anyone recomend a finish that will withstand the setting Texas sun???? Front door has the same problem. Newbie here... thanks in advance!


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

casper6871 said:


> Ive got oak wood columns all around the perimeter of my house and the ones that get the afternoon sun have to be re done every 2 years due to peeling etc. Can anyone recomend a finish that will withstand the setting Texas sun???? Front door has the same problem. Newbie here... thanks in advance!


Are these columns currently stained or painted?

G


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

wrap them up in stainless steel :thumbsup::thumbsup: failing that do you have dulux products over there ,Dulux have a product called weather shield it has a 15 year guarantee if its paint


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

Try searching for Sikkens products. Or, find a dealer near by and pick his brain. 
We've been using it in the AZ sun for 5 years and the stuff seems to hold up well.


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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

i still reckon stainless steel would work:laughing::laughing:


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## txpaulie (Jul 21, 2010)

A few coats of a quality exterior paint, over a good primer should work!:thumbsup:

If'n ya wanna keep the "oak look", yer on yer own...:yes:

Good luck!

p


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## psicoli (Sep 7, 2010)

Arizona, New Jersey, Texas...makes no difference, the sun is the sun and the UV rays will wreck havoc on just about any "legal" finish on the US market.

What I have done on some of my doors in instances where there is direct sunlight and a homeowner insisting on a "stained" wood door (by the way...a bad combo, sunlight and an insistent homeowner) is use a product called "Penofin". It is a brazilian rosewood oil with different pigments and uv protectors.

While there may be some on this forum to dispute this...I have had good results, in fact very good results.

What I am able to do and offer my customers is a product that they will be able to apply themselves...sort of their own maintenance program. No stripping, sanding or staining. After I have done my application in the shop, one coat...wait a day and then apply a second coat with 400 grit sand paper....home free.

A homeowner can "seasonally" apply a new coat of oil, wipe on...wipe off...done.

Protection of wood fibers, easy to maintain, satisfied customer.

Alder, african mahogany and white oak have been used so far and it has only been 2-3 years...no problems! (knock on wood).

My 2 cents....

Peter
http://www.somersetdoors.com


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

psicoli said:


> What I have done on some of my doors in instances where there is direct sunlight and a homeowner insisting on a "stained" wood door (by the way...a bad combo, sunlight and an insistent homeowner) is use a product called "Penofin". It is a brazilian rosewood oil with different pigments and uv protectors.
> 
> http://www.somersetdoors.com



For wood finish +1 for Penofin. Expensive, but works great.












 





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## woody woodturner (Jul 9, 2010)

i still reckon stainless steel no need to paint:laughing::laughing:


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## glowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

If I were you I would find a carpenter in your area that works with UV coating finishes. UV coatings are naturally impervious to the sun and are much stronger. This will allow you to keep the beauty of the natural wood without having to re-do every few years or have to cover it with primer or stainless steal.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

glowgirl said:


> . . . UV coatings are naturally impervious to the sun and are much stronger.


"UV coatings" is a general category of various types of products. Some offer little to no protecction all the way to some that do very well, but there's no such thing as a UV coating that is "impervious" to the effects of UV rays. Few if any of the better products are "naturally [impervious]" since various combinations of solids are added to a base product. 

And what do you mean by "much stronger"?




glowgirl said:


> This will allow you to keep the beauty of the natural wood without having to re-do every few years . . . .


Without solids you won't get any UV protection. If you can name a single clear product that will be also impervious to UV, and will not need reapplication every few years, I'll eat a can of spinach. I love fresh uncooked spinach but canned spinach makes me hurl. Still, I'll down a whole can if you can prove any product on the planet can do what you are claiming. 

Welcome to the forum btw. 







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## psicoli (Sep 7, 2010)

there is not a "legal" poly...varnish...or coating with a UV protectant in the US that will hold up to the sun...

penofin, brazilian rosewood oil...follow the steps and use a 400 grit sand paper and some elbow grease, "wet" sand,,,good to go

re-apply as needed, maybe in the spring...

Peter

http://www.somersetdoors.com


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## glowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

I'm not referring to a UV Protectant; I am referring to coating finishes that use UV as a curing process & there-in lies the "big difference". Products that are cured with UV light initiate a photo reaction that makes them much more indelible to the sun. Meaning, since they have already been cured with a much stronger version of the sun, the actual sun light & heat will not harm the finish and lasts much longer than conventional finishes. Most UV Coating Finishes are actually considered "Green" & as of Jan 2011 will be 1 of the top finishes allowed in the state of California due to their new "Green Building Laws". 

Enjoy your can of Spinach my friend... =-D http://www.cureuv.com/faq.html this will prove my point (sorry! but enjoy)


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## psicoli (Sep 7, 2010)

All due respect to the product(s) you are referring to...I can only speak from my experience.

Until I can see it for myself, I will stick to my opinion that there is not a product on the market that is suited to be a top coat for lumber that is exposed to the sun.

I have worked with products and have been exposed to lumber that have been applied with products similar to the link that is posted.

While the finish is absolutely hard as a rock, almost bullet proof, it does not protect the lumber in a "user" friendly way. With no sun exposure, perhaps the noted product is the best product(s) on the market and best procedure to use. However, With sun exposure I am not convinced...yet.

My point or experience is this:Your stained door, with the bullet proof finish, exposed to the sun, especially if the stained used is a red pigment...will fade. Your finish or top coat will not protect that fading from happening. If the exposure is severe enough the fading will occur pretty quick.

Now you have an issue with re-staining, refinishing or keeping the unit looking good. Not an easy task, virtually impossible to remove the bullet proof finish with a chemical stripper...absolute pain in the butt to maintain.

I have not found that bullet proof finish that will protect the stained product from fading...I wish i could and maybe I will look into the product in the link and test it. My experience...the sun always wins, always.

Composite doors such as the JELD-WEN custom fiberglass hold up best in the sun...and for the time being I will stick with the rosewood oil for easier maintenance and a great looking lumber product in the sun.

Has anybody had any experience with the product noted in the link they can share?

Peter
http://www.somersetdoors.com


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## NathanT (Sep 11, 2009)

Keep it real simple, apply something like Thompson's Waterseal Plus or Advanced every six months with a sprayer. Rather than looking for a bulletproof coating look for one that is easy and forgiving to apply.


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## glowgirl (Sep 21, 2010)

Well, I was addressing the original post regarding his problem of having to deal with tending to his oak wood columns every 2 years. 
Just so you know I work with this product very closely. Hence, my name “glowgirl”. All my clients have been so very happy with the work that has been done. The product I use can actually have tint added to the finishing coat to give it added pizzazz. Not to mention from a financial stand point for the user, money can be made hand over fist because of the instant UV cure time. Easy to use process + quick cure time = less mistakes = decreased on the job time = increased jobs in the schedule. Win-Win for all parties. 
The way I see it is, if Lockheed Martin, Carlos Santana’s guitar manufacturer and major furniture and flooring manufacturers can trust cureuv.com for their products, then so can I. But, to each their own. We all have our little tricks of the trade.
Don’t get me wrong, there is a time and place for UV cured coatings, but I love it when it when a job qualifies for it to be used!


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## mrbentontoyou (Aug 3, 2010)

casper6871 said:


> Ive got oak wood columns all around the perimeter of my house and the ones that get the afternoon sun have to be re done every 2 years due to peeling etc. Can anyone recomend a finish that will withstand the setting Texas sun???? Front door has the same problem. Newbie here... thanks in advance!


for a clear outdoor finish i like epifanes clear varnish.


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

glowgirl said:


> . . . enjoy your can of Spinach my friend...


Not so fast. I went to the site - one of the most confusing sites I have ever seen - and like the warden said in Cool Hand Luke -_What we have here, is a failure to communicate_. 

When woodworkers are discussing UV protection, they're wanting to choose a coating that will delay the *effects * that the UV rays will have on the *appearance *of the wood. 

You're coming at it from the angle of "curing" the coating faster and better by using UV lighting to dry various coatings, which may all be true. But you're also inferring that because of this process the coating will provide better UV *protection *because of that. You're mixing the two together. I don't believe your claim that your process can take a clear coating with no solids and because of the way it is cured, also provide UV protection from the sun i.e. prevent the wood from graying or turning very dark due to UV exposure. I don't buy that for one second. 

You say you work with stuff "very closely". What is your connection with this comapny? Describe your experience with the product/s that you claim can protect wood from the graying and darkening effects of the sun. Show us some video or photo's of the various wood-related applications you've used them on with application dates and before and after pictures. 

Do you have any idea how many times manufacturers have claimed to find the magic bullet in UV protection only to be proved that they were just trying to sell as much of the product as possible the first year or two before the product was proven unsatisfactory? 

I also could not find a single product on that website making any such claim as you are making here, but as I said it's a website that's hard to navigate for me. The product descriptions are often very general and I see no scientific white papers to support what claims they do make. Looks like a potential sham to me. 

I'm willing to eat the can of spinach but you got to come with more than empty claims. To reiterate:



What is your connection with this comapny? 
Describe your experience with the product/s that you claim can protect wood from the graying and darkening effects of the sun. 
Show us some video or photo's of the various wood-related applications you've used them on with application dates and before and after pictures. 
Provide links to white papers or other scientific research documents or provide empirical data

I'll also have a slice of humble pie if you can prove your fantastic claims. 











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