VizslaDad Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 Hi folks - I've built eight tables for my wedding reception that's coming up 16 June, and wanted to see if I should take a different approach to their finish than what I currently have in mind. I obviously have some time constraints given the date is looming closer by the moment so multi-day coating and surfacing programs are not going to work. Long story short, I am loading these tables into a trailer 10 June and driving them up to Pender Island in British Columbia the next day, so ideally I would like to complete the finish application tomorrow (8 June), let the tables cure for two days, and be finished with them so I can focus on my many other wedding tasks. I plan to employ the finish that Izzy Swan describes here (70% teak oil, 30% helmspar urethane). The table tops are made out of doug fir and knotty pine veneered cabinet grade plywood, thickened up with shop-grade birch ply beneath, and edge-banded in solid VG doug fir. Three of the bases are trestle-style made out of kiln-dried construction grade doug fir, and the remaining five are simply 2x4 sawhorses. I plan to give everything two coats following the process in Izzy's video, and am fine with the finish only lasting through the week if that's what it comes to. I plan to sell and/or give them away after the event anyway, and if they need repair or refinishing I can do that. What do you think of this approach? Should I go in a different direction? Here they are in their unfinished glory: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted June 7, 2018 Report Share Posted June 7, 2018 With much to do in a short time I would do shellac you can reapply the finish in about an hour of dry time. For more of a amber tone like the oil would give is go with amber shellac. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Shellac isn't a good outdoor finish. I would use thin coats of fast drying varnish and definitely don't add any oil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 If I really didn't care about the finish holding up long term out doors, I'd hit them with General Finishes WB poly (High Performance). 40 minutes between coats, block with 400 between. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Did I miss where he said would be outside Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichardA Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 In the OP's title. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaDad Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 @Tmize - I thought about shellac but worried about it getting gnarly sitting outside for a week before the ceremony @wdwerker - I already have the helmspar material. Do you think coats of that thinned with mineral spirits would fit the bill? I was thinking maybe water-based poly could be an option, too. @..Kev - I have used that before with success on indoor products. Maybe I could find some in Wenatchee, WA (where I am located). Big box options might be the only ones that make logistical sense given my constraints, though. I really appreciate the feedback, folks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wood Basher Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Would shellac be a bad choice anyway for a wedding, where there is a fair chance that someone will spill alcohol at some point? I thought that would mess up the surface. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaDad Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 17 minutes ago, Wood Basher said: Would shellac be a bad choice anyway for a wedding, where there is a fair chance that someone will spill alcohol at some point? I thought that would mess up the surface. There is a greater than zero chance that this will happen. Great point! Haha. No one wants shellac gunk on their elbows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 The Helmsman will dry slower and leave a softer finish. The fast drying does just that, especially if you use thin coats. Can you return the Helmsman ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaDad Posted June 8, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 1 hour ago, wdwerker said: The Helmsman will dry slower and leave a softer finish. The fast drying does just that, especially if you use thin coats. Can you return the Helmsman ? @wdwerker - are you referring specifically to https://www.minwax.com/wood-products/clear-protective-finishes/interior/minwax-fastdrying-polyurethane or a class of products? I can return the helmsman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tmize Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 10 hours ago, RichardA said: In the OP's title. Total skipped over that I even reread the post just not the title. My bad I change my response to a water based poly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 There exists an exterior grade WB poly GF exterior 450. You should be able to build a finish fast with that. I'd return the helmsman. I used it once and even after a week the finish was soft. I think it took near a month to get firm enough that you couldn't dent it easily. If you need the finish to last only a week interior finishes will last that long. My old hardwod dealer had wooden racks on their company vehicles he used regular interior minwax and said it lasted 2-3 years.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AJ_Engineer Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 Yeah only a week outside no concern with using an interior finish. Only concern would be what you are doing afterwards with the tables, because dealing with a base coat of an interior finish you would have to pick carefully any future exterior finishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 All I can add is Congrats on the wedding and move over Vizsla! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodenskye Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 What are you going to do with all of them after the wedding? with the time left, I would do nothing. I was going to suggest lacquer, epiphanes or CPES, but like I said time isn't on your side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted June 8, 2018 Report Share Posted June 8, 2018 9 minutes ago, Woodenskye said: What are you going to do with all of them after the wedding? with the time left, I would do nothing. I was going to suggest lacquer, epiphanes or CPES, but like I said time isn't on your side. If CPES were available (you usually have to order it) this would work - just do the CPES before the wedding, Epiphanes after the wedding. Otherwise I like Werker's solution. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Minnesota Steve Posted June 9, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted June 9, 2018 I would use a white table cloth as a finish. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaDad Posted June 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 @Woodenskye - I plan to give a couple as gifts, and hopefully sell the others. They aren’t fine furniture by any stretch but can definitely hold up a few beers. I ended up going with Minwax Polycrilic. I did a pretty sloppy job with two coats just to get the task finished so I can move onto others. The material is fine (obviously not meant for this particular application) and I am confident it would produce decent results given appropriate preparation and careful application. Thanks to eveyone for your feedback! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaDad Posted June 10, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2018 On 6/8/2018 at 4:25 PM, K Cooper said: All I can add is Congrats on the wedding and move over Vizsla! Zita the Vizsla always makes sure she has pride of place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post VizslaDad Posted June 20, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 @Minnesota Steve @Pondhockey @Woodenskye @K Cooper @AJ_Engineer @Chestnut @Tmize @wdwerker @Wood Basher @RichardA @..Kev Hey folks - thanks again for the advice. I just wanted to share a couple pics from our wedding reception so you could see the tables in transit and in place. I designed a bench to go with the tables (technically four benches per table), and these were built on site by my friends and I using 2x material and rough sawn cedar planks sourced on the property. Luckily my friends largely enjoyed this impromptu woodworking mini-camp. We built 32 benches in ~4 hours. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 Wow thanks for sharing. That looks like a wonderful place to have a wedding reception. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 Good work! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pondhockey Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 Nicely done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kyokahn Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 On 6/20/2018 at 10:40 AM, VizslaDad said: Luckily my friends largely enjoyed this impromptu woodworking mini-camp. We built 32 benches in ~4 hours. Any of your friends called Jay Garrick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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