Help please - suitable finish for ply Camp Box

[DaveSA]

Hi all. New to the site.

Would very much appreciate advice on finishing a plywood camp box. Built with 12mm marine ply, exterior aquadhere, brass screws.

Realistically, this will spend 95% of its life packed away inside a camper trailer, I guess this environment would be occasionally potentially damp.

For the other 5% of the time, it will be set up on trestles under a canopy (partial sun) and used as a kitchen bench/cupboard. Occasional spillage of liquids, spatter of fat from the grille, radiated heat from the stove, etc.

I'm having a lot of trouble working out whether I should be thinking of this as an interior or exterior application ! It's not full time exposed to the elements, but it's also likely to be exposed to UV, heat, water at times, and an easy cleanup would be useful.

As it's a cupboard with drawers, etc, sanding off and replacing varnish isn't something I'll really want to do down the track. I'm sort of tending to a ling oil ??

I don't need a mirror finish, etc - a rugged look will be fine given its use, and my preference is to see the wood grain.
Really I just want to protect it to give it as long a life as possible.

OK - any help and suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Cliff Rogers]

I'd call it an exterior application &, unless you really want to see the timber grain, I'd paint it with an oil based exterior paint.

You could use a UV resistant polyurethane or some sort of epoxy for boats but if it gets knocked around, it is going to look a bit ordinary when you try to patch it up.

Paint on the other hand is dead easy to patch up.

[DaveSA]

Thanks Cliff - I've just edited my post to reflect that yes, my preference is to see the grain, mainly to keep in line with the outdoor/camping theme (but without going as far as just knocking a tucker box up out of old pallets).

[Cliff Rogers]

You need to talk to some of the blokes in the Wooden Boat Forum.

I know it isn't a boat but they should be able to help.

[Eli]

If you aren't trying to make it flash, it could still be very nice with a couple coats of penetrating oil. Watco or something. Or maybe Tung oil?

If you want it waterproof, glass and epoxy, look as Cliff said, on the woodenboat forum.

[Woodlee]

Thanks Cliff - I've just edited my post to reflect that yes, my preference is to see the grain, mainly to keep in line with the outdoor/camping theme (but without going as far as just knocking a tucker box up out of old pallets).

I built similar boxes a while ago to carry my generator ,leads and spare tent pegs and ropes.,and one as a camping kitchen .
Another to protect my Engel fridge
I painted them with some paint that I mixed together from a couple of left over tins from a job at home.(wasnt worried about the final colour)
I also edged the boxes with 25 x 25 x 2.5 mm aluminium angle ,because its the edges and corners that take the damage.Rubber door stops for feet to keep them off the bottom of the trailer .
I made boxes to put my gas lamp gas cylinders, and camp ovens in also.
Unfortunately we don't get to do much camping and fishing these days and all the gear is stashed in the small shed.

Basically I would go for the worst case senario treat it as an exterior exposure and would use a clear marine varnish or similar if you want the natural wooden finish.

Kev