Choosing wood for a stand

[coralgardener]

Hey there all,
I'm setting up a new reef (54 corner) and being I prefer to do things myself, I will be building the cabinetry. My thought is about cedar, does anybody have any experience with it in marine applications? I've built several with oak and over time the salt eats the poly off exposes the grain, it swells and looks terrible. Do any of you do it yourselfers have any advice for a crazed reef fanatic as to the pros or cons?

[crustin]

marine grade paint?

[goodfortune]

Were you using oil- or water-based poly? How many coats of poly did you put on the wood?

- Michael

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7604751#post7604751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralgardener
Hey there all,
I'm setting up a new reef (54 corner) and being I prefer to do things myself, I will be building the cabinetry. My thought is about cedar, does anybody have any experience with it in marine applications? I've built several with oak and over time the salt eats the poly off exposes the grain, it swells and looks terrible. Do any of you do it yourselfers have any advice for a crazed reef fanatic as to the pros or cons?

[Barto]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7604751#post7604751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralgardener
. My thought is about cedar, does anybody have any experience with it in marine applications? I've built several with oak and over time the salt eats the poly off exposes the grain, it swells and looks terrible.

I have used cedar for top tank trim around FW tanks, it holds up very well. I've had to touch up the finish on the lodgepole pine stand, but the cedar remains the same.

As far as wood for marine applications, I think of sailboats & deck chairs, I see mahogony & teak, salt must have little effect on the grains of those woods

[tsproul]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7604751#post7604751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralgardener
I've built several with oak and over time the salt eats the poly off exposes the grain, it swells and looks terrible.

Seal the wood with an epoxy or polyester adhesive....essentially, epoxies and polyesters are waterproof and sealing the wood with those, when done properly, gives you waterproof wood.

If you are going to stain the wood, stain and then seal. If you are going to paint, seal and then paint.

I've never heard of a finish for wood that lasts forever, though....so some maintainence should always be expected. On a boat with wood trim and such.....regardless of teak or mahogany or other wood used....if it looks good, you can be sure it has been refinished. Unless the boat is new :).

Tim

[IndyMatt]

Stepdad has a sailboat on the Atlantic side of Florida. He has to restain/refinish wood hatches every 8mos. to a year. Granted this is with heat and cold and outside completely different than inside such as a tank. Teak and Mahogany is used I believe because it is less porous and much stronger. I tried to nail into a scrap piece of teak he had lying around bent the nail!

[Barto]

Sorry if anyone thought I meant that teak & mahogany didn't need to be finished or maintained. I was just refering to the hardness of the wood and my limited knowlege of its use in marine apps.

[Hobster]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7604751#post7604751 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by coralgardener
Hey there all,
I'm setting up a new reef (54 corner) and being I prefer to do things myself, I will be building the cabinetry. My thought is about cedar, does anybody have any experience with it in marine applications? I've built several with oak and over time the salt eats the poly off exposes the grain, it swells and looks terrible. Do any of you do it yourselfers have any advice for a crazed reef fanatic as to the pros or cons?

I do not think the type of wood makes much difference as to the poly coming off. It all depends on how the wood was prepped and how many coats and what type of varnish was used. As to cedar itself, it is very resistant to decay and wood rot. So go with it and just seal it very well. If you use Helmsman spar urethane varnish (or similar)you should be set for many years.

[MCary]

Use Waterlox marine varnish, oil based, colors the wood a nice amber. I don't like poly. Looks like it was dipped in plastic. Anyone can slap some wood together, its the finish that makes it art.

Mike

[RobinsonFam1]

poly works with no problems. every stand i build my customers get an oil base poly finish with 3 coats. the wood must be prepped properly in order to adhere and allowed to dry completely.
dont shake the can, bubbles are bad. gently stir the can with a stir stick or whatever.

[mlukason]

If the wood is properly preped, any varnish should adhere (including polyurethane). Make sure that you sand (320 or finer) between coats. A varnish needs the small scracthes to adhere. If not it will eventually peel. Some people like to use spar varnish or "marine" varnish. The key with spar varnishes is the higher percentage of oil and the added UV stablizers. The finish doesn't cure as hard as a stardard varnish and can therefore cope with the expansion and contraction of wood exposed to extremes of humidity. Necessary on a boat (day after day of UV exposure, constant changing moisture conditions) not on an aquarium stand.

Good luck!

[coralgardener]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7605079#post7605079 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crustin
marine grade paint?

I really like a mroe natural look of wood is there a marine grade clear coat that anyone knows of?

[coralgardener]

Doha I started reading the top of the list and answering the posts not knowing that question was covered three or four times already

[coralgardener]

I'm not sure I'd find teak in Ohio or that I could even afford it if I could