Can't decide on a finish for my new table.

WindJammer

My egg is about 1 month old now I threw this table together based on naked whiz plans but made some changes. I used leftover treated pine from a recently built deck. It's about 6 foot long. 34" tall and roughly 27 deep. The top is made of 5- 1x6x72 gaps are filled with filler nod sanded back smooth. Trying to achieve the look of one solid piece. I used a Krueger jig so all screws are hidden. Also I notched out my 4x4 legs so they would bear the load rather than the screws. Also I plan to add a 15 " sink. But only if I close in the shelf with doors. To hide the pluming also undecided on this.

theyolksonyou

Welcome to the forum. Looks like you'll have plenty of workspace. It's gonna come up, so I'll say it. You should consider an air gap between the egg and paver.

WindJammer

Thanks, I was just reading about that on another thread. Think I'm gonna check my lock dealer an see if they have the table nest in stock. What's the going price, do you know?

theyolksonyou

Not from a dealer. There less than $50 for a large on the googles

GreenHam

My dealer gets $32

WindJammer

I called local dealer today, said he's never had any that everyone uses pavers, but he's gonna get a price and call me back

KennyLee

You'll be fine with just a paver.  Just make sure it is concrete (not ceramic tile, etc.) and a couple inches thick. 

theyolksonyou

KennyLee said:

You'll be fine with just a paver.  Just make sure it is concrete (not ceramic tile, etc.) and a couple inches thick. 

peruse some of the fire threads. I thought the same till I saw some of the folks who lost their tables or worse their houses. I'm currently on a paver, but I'll remedy that this week.

KennyLee

I've seen them and am more than comfortable cooking in a table on a paver only.  I recently refinished mine so I took the Egg out and you could not tell anything on the paver or wood after two and a half years of cooking on the Egg an average of four days a week at temps getting upwards of 800* at times.  The dealer and BGE corporate both told me that pavers were fine since they no longer sold the feet when I bought mine. 

It won't happen, but even if it did, mine sits on a concrete pool deck 20 feet away from a brick house anyway. 

theyolksonyou

@KennyLee‌ cool by me. < $50 is cheap insurance to me, but I see your point as well. Like most everything here, it's a personal decision.

nolaegghead

Finish - I use a spar paint like Helmsman's Spar Polyurethane.

henapple

If it's pressure treated I'm not sure spar poly is a good idea, especially if it's new wood....@nolaegghead?

nolaegghead

Not if it's wet. If it's that kiln dried stuff or recycled it will be fine.

WindJammer

I'm thinking of using both, the pavers I wanted to use are not tall enough for my table height. ( the hinge hits) the one pictured is 2 Separate blocks. When I was building it I based the shelf height on those blocks assuming the others would be the same height. Or close enough. You know what they say about those who assume.

WindJammer

Henapple, what do you suggest? Should I let the wood age a while?

nolaegghead

WindJammer said:

Henapple, what do you suggest? Should I let the wood age a while?

I'm not henapple, but I would let it dry out for a while if it's wet treated wood.  You can put some linseed oil on the top to protect it from grease stains - it won't hurt any finish you put on later.

WindJammer

Thanks for the tip, I have some linseed oil I'll do that tomorrow

WindJammer

I have little experience with stain, how will the wood filler effect the stain? Vs paint?

nolaegghead

There's no telling.  That's why you typically give it a run in an innocuous area to see what it looks like.  For example, under the top where no one will ever see.

WindJammer

Yeah I beat a few dents into a scrap piece and filled in with the filler waiting for it to dry so I can sand / stain it and see how it looks. Honestly I'm starting to lean towards paint. I recently built some deck furniture and have some paint left over. But id like the egg table to have a little more gloss to it. Can the spar you mentioned be applied over t paint? Or do you have another sugestion?

nolaegghead

If you buy outdoor paint there's no need for spar.

WindJammer

Well the paint I have on hand is exterior but it's semigloss, Id kind of like a little more shine to the table. Right now I'm so Damn aggravated with myself I just realized that I filled All The cracks and holes with interior wood filler as opposed to exterior. After a few coats and lots of sanding ughhh

WindJammer

Hey by the way, what the hell
Is going on with our Saints? Smh....

nolaegghead

The interior filler will be fine as long as it stays dry.  You can put some gloss spar paint over the base coats.  Just make sure you sand before applying.

The Saints...don't get me started!

WindJammer

Thanks man it's under the covered portion of my deck so it should stay dry, I think I'm gonna nix the idea of installing the sink. I've already done a few cooks and enjoy the large work area. Plus I don't need a leaky drain dissolving all my wood filler lol. I'm very new to woodworking I've done several small projects the past few months and really enjoy the construction phase, not so much the sanding/painting/staining part though. Haha. But I do believe in doing something right and take a lot of pride in a finished product. This forum has been a huge help

WindJammer

Well I couldn't take it any longer so I pulled the trigger . I really like the way the stained tables I've seen on here look but I got impatient and went with the paint I had on hand I think it turned out. I don't have much cost or time in this one most materials were already on hand and it allowed me to start cooking. I am already planning to build a nicer one with cabinets, drawers this spring.

NPHuskerFL

Looks good man. Should make it easier for cleanup also.

DaveRichardson

Maybe build a separate sink base?  That's my plan!  I'll do that with storage underneath for accessories and a Rubbermaid bucket or two of lump.  Egg will be in the corner of the deck on a pad, and then the other table beside that for prep work and beer opening....

WindJammer

Thanks NP! I've considered that Dave. What I really want is a table very similar to the one Cazzy built. But I work out of state and I'm only home 2 weeks at a time, and didn't have a 4 week old son. So didn't have a lot of time to invest this go around. And I really wanted to get a couple of cooks in before I head back to work. Having family over tomorrow for Christmas ribeyes !