Anything to make wood tougher

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Richard D

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Making new locker covers on my wooden boat and could not find any mahogany or teal locally so took the "hard wood" my local wood merchant has, Have made the locker covers but even before they are on the boat the edges are breaking up and acnt see them standing up to the hardships they are likely to get. Is there any wood treatment, varnish , wood stain, what ever that when applies will give more impact resistance.

Regards Richard
 
Thanks that sounds good. Do I stain the wood then put the ronseal on and then yacht varnish or does the ronseal stuff act instead of varnish.

Richard
 
You may try soaking the wood with well thinned polyurethane varnish. Works on porous wood if it's not oily; and of course must be dry.
There are epoxy preparations for this, new stuff recently on market - made on water-based epoxy resins. I used one such only on stone sculpture falling apart - works, 7 years now. This is low viscosity fluid, penetrates nicely and can be injected by syringe needle. Works on slightly damp wood too - so will work in UK, I guess, where it's impossible to have wood dry in Your climate... :o
sorry, can't see any english page - probably possible to google some form UK.
This one I know works too http://www.remmers.de/html/doc/tm/TM1_3161_DE.pdf
 
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Ariadne said:
I'd bite the bullet and redo the job with the right materials, better in the end; honest.
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+1 ... I wonder what wood it is that you got - it sounds a bit strange. Without the detail, is sounds like the sort of job that'd normally be done with plywood - perhaps lipped or in a frame if you don't like to see the edge.
 
If it is the edges breaking off then clearly you have bad design. Thick and rounded edges are a lot more robust than thin or sharp edges. So first off round every edge to minimise breakage. Then apply a polyurethane type varnish in many coats for a tough surface.
I have some wooden steps at home now near 37 years since varnished and still ok so it is tough. good luck olewill
 
+1 for using the right materials.
I'm restoring my wooden S&S36 and everytime I wince at the cost of materials I remind myself that the boat has lasted 50 years and deserves to have the same / better quality of replacement materials as the original build. Over the years, and just like everybody else, I've made the mistake of commiting time and effort to a project but scimped on the materials only to regret it later. As they say,"if a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well".
All sorts of hardwoods available online and from specialist retailers like Robbins. I sourced old teak from Trinity Marine - big planks recovered from a 1950s cruiseliner that just need machining.
 
I'd go along with the rounding of all corners to eliminate the most vulnerable features. The only other thing I can think of is to sheath them in epoxy and a thin cloth. The cloth will disappear once saturated with the epoxy, if used externally, you'll need to varnish as well to protect the epoxy from UV degradation. The skin will take normal knocks without damage to the wood. To see this method at work, Google for items on cedar strip canoes.

Rob.
 
Ariadne said:
Coat it with epoxy?

I'd bite the bullet and redo the job with the right materials, better in the end; honest.
Click to expand...

+ 1 I have found a couple of coats of good epoxy both protects and gives a great finish.
 
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