(Pseudo)Sealing a Reclaimed Warehouse Door turned Table

[dbailey]

OK, so, I'm a pretty novice wood worker. I've built a small TV stand/entertainment center w/guidance from a more experienced relative and then a simple desk tabletop on my own.

 

I've long wanted a barnwood door (as does seems everyone these days). Finding the wood was proving difficult until I happened across an abandoned, burned out building in the middle of nowhere with several large doors standing off to the side, rotting away. I saved one, cut it down to length, removed the hardware (much to my chagrin but at the insistance of my fiance), and have sanded through 3 grits. I visited a local Woodcraft specialty wood working store where a very experienced gentleman believes it is old growth long leaf pine. I want to leave the table as "natural" as possible (I've left a lot of the nail heads and nicks and whatnot). I don't like the color of clear finished pine so I will be staining it dark and I also don't feel like a poly finish is appropriate for this also.

 

Here is the conundrum: The door is actually 2 "panels" of tounge-and-groove boards nailed back to back to eachother, one side running on a 45 degree angle (which I will use as top) and the other runs vertical. So technically, there's an airspace between the boards. It was pointed out to me that if I don't fully seal the table off, liquids (milk) if spilled, could get trapped down in there and become pretty nasty.

 

Knowing my issues and desires, the man at the store recommended that I stain the table, and then use a 2 part (epoxy resin & hardener) resin by System Three and essentially bead it into the cracks from the top and allow it to flow through. Then go over the table with Waterlox Original Sealer/Finish (Tung Oil) since this will be a daily eating surface.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions for applying the resin? I've put the project on hold for a few months now because I'm nervous to use it. I've seen what it can be used for to create the super protective but plasticy and glossy finishes on bar surfaces and that is about the furthest thing from what I want my table to look like. Is "beading" it into the gaps between the boards feasible? He suggested using a block plane to trim down any excess resin but I fear screwing up my stained wood adjacent to the gaps while trying to get the resin.

 

I'm gladly accepting pointers on using the resin (since I've already purchased it) but will definitely consider alternative routes that accomplish the same goal. I'll swallow $50 already spent to make sure I get this right.

 

Thanks!

 

Dylan

 

PS - Those hangers have 1902-3 stamped in the metal. This thing is old!

 

[dbailey]

Thanks! Glass top has crossed my mind but I don't particularly like the look of those either. The top isn't perfectly even so I'd have to raise it up with some felt pads or something. I may still price that out. When I was at Woodcraft talking about this, we discussed trying to use like a baster or one of those nasal clearers for babies. I feel like it'll be too thick the get squeezed out. Would sanding really remove it? I kinda got the impression that it would gum up the paper and that I really need to either scrape it off by planing the table or maybe a chemical process.

 

Fortunately, there were 3 doors total. A friend took 2 and cut them shorter and made a headboard out of them. He gave me the bottom 1/3 of each door. I'm turning one of them into and end table so I've got a surface to practice on and hopefully get it right.

[dbailey]

Oh, and it's actually going to be a kitchen table. I was saying I have built a desk and a small TV stand so that I really don't have much woodworking expereince.