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Water/humidity resistent wood coating


OnlyGenusCaps
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I feel a bit like I am turning this into the handyman's forum

Weird Al: Handy

Sorry about that.  But, I am seeking some opinions because I know there are folks much better versed in woodworking (I say I'm making a cherry bookcase or something) than I am. 

Here is what's happening.  I have 1/8" plywood, of some sort, that I am attaching to a frame to obscure the sump under a tank.  The pieces I have up are warping a bit.  My basement is like 20%RH right now and in the summer it will be above 70%RH.  Plus, once the tank is running there will be the gradient in humidity from the sump under the tank, to the outside air.  I think if I am going to have any chance of preventing this wood from looking like a book that was dried after falling in a puddle, I am going to have to coat it in something.  Now, I have time.  I can really only do this in my garage, and it's going to be a few weeks here until it is warm enough to work with anything like that.  Still, I'd like to have a plan. 

My first thought was to use a water based polyurethane.  But, I am starting to wonder if a spray on acrylic wouldn't work better.  Does any one have any suggestions about what I should use to keep the moisture from warping the wood? 

Thanks!

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@OnlyGenusCaps, My trade is wooden boat restorations and building. I would advise using a piece of marine rated plywood, but it sounds like you already have the material you want to use. In that case you’ll need to seal both sides and carefully seal the edges. A penetrating epoxy sealer would be the gold standard but even a small kit is expensive so that brings us back to @a tired fish keeper’s good advice to use some polyurethane. Thinning the first coat for sealing would be a great idea. 

Edited by Patrick_G
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I triple coat oak in helmsman’s thick polyurethane in scan brushed on using thick coats. The finish has remained for 25 year (some scuffing) including 2 years on the one table I put in my yard rain snow and all. I have a friend that uses it on boats. It will soak into plywood and t111 so more coats may be needed to get the gloss finish but it does water proof it well. I used it on t111 outdoors and it did not warp in the weather. I’ve not done plywood outdoors though. 

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Thanks everyone!

On 2/16/2022 at 8:41 AM, Patrick_G said:

but it sounds like you already have the material you want to use

I do.  Cut to size and everything.  It's currently sitting under weights to keep everything flat until the weather warms enough for me to do something with it.  Lack of foresight on my?  Absolutely!  But, I really wanted to get the project going again, and once I get water in this quite large tank, I won't be moving it to get stuff on the back, so this seemed like a logical place to start.  At the time.  I thought - well if I have the tank running by the time the weather warms, I'll be able to get fish right away.  I forgot that I kind of have to sit on my hands here through the winter for any "major" projects, which is anything larger than minor tweaks really. 

On 2/16/2022 at 9:19 AM, Guppysnail said:

helmsman’s thick polyurethane

A product recommendation.  Thanks!  I'll look into getting that.  It doesn't need to make it outside.  Just needs to prevent the boards from warping so much they no longer stick on the sides of the frame.  I have simple needs.  🤪

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