Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Cedar Table

Options
jehaack
jehaack Posts: 6
edited June 2012 in EggHead Forum

I just had a cedar table built for my egg, and was wondering what kind of finish I should use to seal it.

Thanks

Comments

  • CAPTBIGJ
    CAPTBIGJ Posts: 6
    Options
    I just finished my table, and I used Spar Varnish.  So far so good.   However it was only a week.  i put three coats on. I live outside Seattle so lots of rain
  • Fliehigh
    Fliehigh Posts: 76
    Options
    I just finished my table, and I used Spar Varnish.  So far so good.   However it was only a week.  i put three coats on. I live outside Seattle so lots of rain



    Is that a Propane burner I see on the right hand side of the table?
    [-X  tsk.tsk.tsk

     

    Just kidding nice HUGE table.

  • CAPTBIGJ
    CAPTBIGJ Posts: 6
    Options
    That is a propane burner for doing crab boils.  other than that thats the only propane i use.  I made the table for a future addition to my egg family.  prob another large or a med.   Thanks for the compliment. 
  • Fliehigh
    Fliehigh Posts: 76
    Options

    Up here in Eastern Canada MOST people think that a Barbeque uses Propane, I personally call those devices an outdoor propane cooking device.

    It has also been a challenge to find people that understand that when they use the "Outdoor propane cooking device" they are most times just grilling and not actually BBQ'ing.

    So to make a long story a little longer, I usually give mye friends a hard time when I see them cook outdoors on propane and that was why I made the comment about your table. It is a really nice table. 

  • XLBalco
    XLBalco Posts: 607
    Options

    was going to use marine spar urethane... but i think i just might use minwax spar instead.. not sure there is a big difference..

    just about done sanding and prepping.. hoping to start coating next week

  • HebearMcGhee
    Options
    If you go the clear route head to a local marina, rather than home center, where they carry actual Marine Varnish(I recommend Epifanes). Jamestown Distributors are a great online source if the marina doesn't pan out. 3 coats are the minimum, and you can go to 10 or 12 depending on your desired amount of gloss.

    As for stain options, keep in mind that while pigmented stains offer great UV protection, they also have a tendency to peel in the same manner as paint and can be tough to repair down the line. The only stain I use with outdoor furniture is Cabot's Australian Timber Oil, a semi-transparent stain with UV protection and mildew inhibitors built in, that goes on very easily and requires only one coat. Table looks great, good luck!
    http://choiceofga.com 1000+ Tables & Counting… Direct From Fayetteville, GA "It is a poor carpenter who blames his tools."
  • XLBalco
    XLBalco Posts: 607
    Options
    is there that much of a benefit of using marine grade spar vs say minwax spar?
  • HebearMcGhee
    Options
    is there that much of a benefit of using marine grade spar vs say minwax spar?
    Absolutely. Spar Varnish and Marine Spar/Marine Varnish differ in one key area: UV absorption. By definition spar varnish is a long-oil varnish without UV absorbing additives, making it a poor choice if UV resistance is needed. "Marine" is intended to signify a varnish with excellent UV absorption properties, but this isn't always the case. UV additives are expensive and manufacturers rarely detail the actual percentage present or efficiency of protection. Caveat emptor. ;)

    That said, Marine varnish often requires as many as 12 coats for maximum benefit along with yearly maintenance—if the surface begins to dull, it's time for a touch up.
    http://choiceofga.com 1000+ Tables & Counting… Direct From Fayetteville, GA "It is a poor carpenter who blames his tools."
  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
    Options
    My cedar table is rough cut....I just Thompson water sealed it....I may sand the top down now after a couple years of wear and poly it.....

    Here is the way my table came together.....check it out

    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
  • hoffmand
    hoffmand Posts: 105
    Options
    Jai-Bo: You need a tile or stone under those feet. You put too much time into that table to watch it burn up.
    Cedar Park, TX