Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat - General Woodworking - Woodworking

Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

11/10/20, 2:59 PM #1

Joe
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Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

I have some exterior Christmas decorations my FIL made 20 or so years ago out of plywood. They are cut outs of Santa Claus and so on and are painted with (what I think are) enamel paints.

My wife wants to touch up areas that have been scratched etc. She then wants to apply a clear coat of some kind to add some protection. I told her I thought some kind of exterior poly like a Spar varnish would yellow because of the oil(s).

She told me to go ask my friends at WC. So here I am...

Is there a decent exterior grade coating I could put on these things that won't yellow?

(not looking for a big project...)

Thank you.

Re: Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

11/10/20, 3:17 PM #2

Henry (Raleigh NC)
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Registered: 11/13/06

Re: Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

Henry (Raleigh NC)

Paints are used all the time without topcoats, think of house paints. These are formulated for outdoor usage.

If you have specialty paints underneath, and want an exterior coating, I have HEARD/Read that some will get a 'deep tint base' paint from a real paint store, and then not use any tints/colorants. For this to work these deep tine bases mustn't have any added pigments in the formulations, just the colorants that can be added.

This would likely be a primarily acrylic resin, formulated for the flexibility needed to outdoor usage, and would likely have at least some mildicide (or mold resistant properties). Inquire at your paint retailer for their recommendations.

All that may not be any easier than a spray can of Krylon clear coat (have no idea if this comes in exterior formulations).

Just a few ideas, but no actual experience to report.

Henry

Re: Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

11/10/20, 7:14 PM #3

Clint Searl
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Registered: 9/17/01

Unnecessary

Re: Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

11/11/20, 9:51 PM #4

Kneale Brownson
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1,031 posts

Registered: 8/1/07

Repaint with polyurethane paints.

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I’m a fairly spry 82-year-old who had been a reader/participant at WoodCentral since the demise of Badger Pond. I started visiting BP to learn something about finish for a project I’d completed and became hooked on internet forums as a way of increasing my knowledge about all sorts of topics. I have been a moderator for a couple other forums on subjects I enjoy. My interest in woodworking began in the early 1970’s when my wife and I had contractors add to our house near Traverse City, MI, and I ended up doing the trim work to reduce mounting costs. I had no tools. I bought a P-C skilsaw, hammer, screwdrivers and one of those wooden miter boxes with a backsaw. I made trim for windows and doors from one-by lumber and started my woodworking career. At the same time, I started a 50-year career as a ski instructor. I got onto the night shift at a mental hospital so I could ski days, and spent my 30s and 40s with that schedule. I eventually replaced the PC-upside-down-in-a-board with a real table saw and began the purchase of enough equipment to fill a jam-packed 40-foot shipping container we used after we sold our property in Michigan. The ski instructing had taken us to Colorado and we were spending too much on maintaining utilities for two homes. A couple years ago, the dozen years spent at 10,000 feet of elevation was making my body produce too many red blood cells, so we had to leave my “forever” home in the mountains and we moved back to Michigan. Now I have to find myself a shop space for all those tools in the container.

Kinda OT - Exterior clear coat

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