New BGE Table

Bobbydots

I bought a new large egg and a cypress long table from a dealer last weekend and love it. Should I do anything to the table like putting on a sealer? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

BBQMaven

Because mine is exposed to the elements on the back (faces south) and under the roof overhang on the front, I chose to use a marine sealer to protect the wood and keep it from turning two colors. It has held up very well for four years.

Capt Frank

A cypress table will not rot, so their is really no need to seal it for moisture protection. In time, it will bleach out to a gray color if it is exposed to sunlight.
I am of the school that believes a good marine grade polyurethane spar varnish is the best thing to use. It will not only give you wonderful UV protection, it will also wipe clean from greasy spills and stay looking great for years. Min-Wax is one of the better brands and is available in most hardware stores and home centers. It comes in gloss, semi-gloss, and satin [my favorite]. A qt will do a table, approx $15
You need to apply one or two coats to un-exposed areas and at least three coats to the top, sanding between coats.

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

Bobbydots

Thank you for your suggestion. I appreciate it and will do just what you suggested.

Bob

Bobbydots

Thanks for your suggestion. It looks like the two responses are very similar so that is what I am going to do.

Bob

[Deleted User]

Frank- I've heard of people using the spar varnish on their tables and I wonder what kind of annual maintenance is required?

you said it will look great for years, does that mean you only need to re-apply every few years?

Capt Frank

Hi Flasback,
No two setups are exactly the same. How much sun exposure your table gets is the key.
This table is a year old and still looks like the day I finished it. It is in Ohio and gets full sun all summer. It is under roof but still outside when we are in Florida. I don't have a recent pic of my Florida table. but it is two years old and just needs some touch-up. It is ouside 6 months or more a year.

P4060003 by Capt Frank1, on Flickr

I put one coat on unexposed [undersides] of all pieces, two coats on bottom shelf and minimally exposed parts, and three coats on the top.
An advantage to good spar varnish is when something starts to weather or gets scrathed, a little light sanding and a fresh coat will usually fix it. A scratch or blemish can be sanded out and varnished without doing the entire top.
I hope this helps

Capt Frank
Homosassa, FL

dtc

If it is in the direct sun, then a cover can help a lot. Small money to keep it looking like new.