Finishing recycled hardwood

[clarky]

Our school has just built a deck using rough recycled hardwood.
The kids are now getting splinters from the seats and rails. I have started sanding the deck, but cant get a splinter free finish. Would a decking oil or a polyurethane finish help.
regards, clarky

[OBBob]

What sort of sander are you using? Can you hire a floor sander and give it a really good go?

I would have thought thats ome thick coats of a sealer should also help. Guess you need to try a section.

[jerryc]

A standard polyurethane would be no good in a weather prone situation. Wood expands and contracts with wet and sun and polyurethane does not match that kind of movement. That is why, where appearance is important, such as on a boat, spar varnish is used. For outside furniture I use a mix of spar varnish, boiled linseed oil and turps in about one third quantities and find it a very useful wipe on finish.
In this case perhaps a more oil based oil based finish might be better. Theoretically I know about these finishes but I never give advice unless I have long and practical experience so will stand aside and let others offer advice. However my standard piece of advice is before doing the whole lot, use a piece of scrap for testing.

Jerry

War does not decide who is right. War only decides who is left.

[clarky]

I have a belt sander and will finish with a random/orbital sander. I am not worried about the floor, only the hand rails and the seat that goes around the inside of the deck and is made of 75 x 50 hardwood. I was thinking of using a roundover bit in a router to round off the edges, as some of the worst splinters are along the edges. The oil mixture sounds good.
regards Clarky

[Bloss]

Rounding with the router as you suggest or even planing all edges will help greatly. Without a finish your smoothing with machines using bits, blades or paper will last just a short time.

The tendency to splinter is largely a factor of the wood type, but exposure and weathering that allows drying and lifting of grain worsens any existing tendency and will help splinter formation in all timbers eventually.

Pretty much any of the commercial oils will help after you have smoothed the surfaces and rounded off edges. In fully exposed situation you will need to re-oil annually at least - perhaps an every spring regime so that best protection is over the summer.

[clarky]

Thanks for the help, I will get stuck into it when it stops raining
regards, clarky

[BobL]

Our school has just built a deck using rough recycled hardwood.
The kids are now getting splinters from the seats and rails. I have started sanding the deck, but cant get a splinter free finish. Would a decking oil or a polyurethane finish help.
regards, clarky

Paint - sand - paint - paint - paint. Use a thick goopy paint. I've done it and it works

[Calm]

With the splintery finish on the timber i dont see that oil will help.

I think you are saying that clothes can catch on the "edges" of the timber - splinters -

What you need to do is put a finish over the top that will effectively seal/glue/cover these sharps edges to overcome the problem.

Ideally you need a plasticy type finish that will stand up to the weather - outdoor area - allow movement in the wood, not crack and not get hot and sticky in the summer. You then need to decide if you want to have a clear finish to "show off the timber" or if you are happy to paint it - cover up the timber.

Oil - will give you some of these but will not give you the plasticy cover to prevent the clothes/skin catching on the "sharp bits"

2 pack finishes - i dont think these allow for movement in the timber, so will crack and then let the weather in making the proble,m wprse.

Spa or Marine varnish - i think is the only clear produst for outside that will hopefully give you all that you want but it is fairly expensive and will last a few years

Plastic outdoor paint is the one that will probably do the lot at the cheapest cost.

Hopefully this helps. Others feel freee to correct any mistakes i have made, i dont claim to be an expert, just a logical thinker.

[echnidna]

The splinters are most likely coming off the corners of the board edges.

If you put a 45 degree chamfer on all the edge corners then a light rub with sandpaper you should fix it.

[clarky]

Hi
The splinters are comming from the edges, but also from the rails that are 8" wide and have old nail and screw holes. We would like to be able to see the timber as it has really appealing natural colours. I am worried that a varnish would lift and have to be sanded back and redone every so often. The deck is quite large and I have limited time available and being a public school, limited funds.
Thanks again Clarky