# Spar Urethane on trailer deck



## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

My trailer deck needed to be replaced about 5 years ago. So I did it over the last two weekends.

Wish I would have done a number of things different but the end result is pretty good.

I ended up coating it with spar urethane. 3 coats so far (needs a long time to cure), sanded in between coats. I thinned out the first coat to ensure penetration and rolled it on all sides/edges before mounting. Then the others went on after mounting.

I was thinking of gluing carpet down but I kind of like the look of the finished wood.

BUT

On a hot day will the spar urethane get sticky? Will my raft get stuck to the deck on a hot day?

Anyone have any experiences like that?

I can still glue carpet down or give it a clear top coat of something harder (epoxy or a polyurethane with less oil) but I don't really want to spend the money unless I have to.


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## grumper13 (Jan 14, 2008)

Roguelawyer said:


> My trailer deck needed to be replaced about 5 years ago. So I did it over the last two weekends.
> 
> Wish I would have done a number of things different but the end result is pretty good.
> 
> ...


I can't speak to whether spar varnish can be "re-activated" with enough summer sun (though I doubt it, unless you're talking Phoenix in the summer), but I do have this input:

My experience with any affordable clear finish is that UV eats them up. There may be some exotic and very pricey clear finishes out there that hold up to UV, but I have not tried them.

Here's what I've had good luck with on my raft decking: 2-3 coats of spar urethane, then knock off the sheen with sandpaper and paint it with a good quality exterior trim paint (not flat) or even better, deck (flooring) paint. I'm sure oil base is better, but I just use a good water-cleanup paint. The idea is the urethane seals the wood, then the paint protects the urethane from UV and abrasion. Then I do an annual touch-up, as needed.

And the way I happened onto this, was that my first decking boards were just spar varnished, and within the first season, the finish was already failing....so I hit it with a sander and painted it - done.

Though most woodworker types (including me) tend to think it's a crime to cover the purty wood with paint, it just comes down to how I want to spend my time, and sanding/refinishing is very close to the bottom of that list.


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## CROE (Jul 29, 2008)

My brother who is a chemist and works in the paint/coatings industry suggested oil based porch paint (slow to dry) for my trailer ...light color I did a light grey.....seems to work well....every year have done slight touchups but not redone in 5 years, Chet


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## formerflatlander (Aug 8, 2013)

Super deck Deck & Dock elastomeric coating. Can add slip resistant in areas you want or not at all. Best in direct application to wood. Spar will eventually break down and peel as water/snow sits on it. Work in the trades and this is my go to product for decks.


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## grumper13 (Jan 14, 2008)

formerflatlander said:


> Super deck Deck & Dock elastomeric coating. Can add slip resistant in areas you want or not at all. Best in direct application to wood. Spar will eventually break down and peel as water/snow sits on it. Work in the trades and this is my go to product for decks.


Cool! I just googled it and it's $50/gal or $195/5 gal....not cheap but not bad, if it's a good product.


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## Riverman4utoday (Jun 21, 2013)

Getting ready to redo my trailer with spar varnish....not urethane. From what I know about putting spar varnish on wood oars, it flexes where as the spar urethane tends to be much more brittle and I would expect it to chip easier. Varnish has more flexibility and will give so it will last longer. That said, I really wouldn't expect either of these to get tacky in Summer heat. Sawyer wood oars use spar varnish and I have never seen them get tacky unless reactivated by chemicals. 

Post photo's....let's see what it looks like!


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## captishmael (Feb 8, 2008)

1-Spar Varnish is better than Spar Urethane

2-Floor/Porch Paint is better than Spar Varnish and quite often can be bought in the Mismatch/Mismixed section of the paint supplier

3-The lighter the color the better

That's all I know...........

Capt


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## denali1322 (Jun 3, 2013)

Any type of gloss urethane is not really designed for long-term outdoor exposure, especially in dry climates with harsh sun like those of us in the West. I used a product called Penofin on my wood garage doors and it has kept them looking good, 10 years in (I recoat every other year). I am getting a trailer at end of month and you can bet I will be using this stuff. Warning, it is quite expensive, like $60 a gallon.


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## formerflatlander (Aug 8, 2013)

Professional version of the restore/deck over type product. Much better in my opinion. Bout 20 different colors.


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## formerflatlander (Aug 8, 2013)

grumper13 said:


> Cool! I just googled it and it's $50/gal or $195/5 gal....not cheap but not bad, if it's a good product.


It's the professional version of the restore deck over type products. One of the best deck products I've found. Over 20 colors too.


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## grumper13 (Jan 14, 2008)

Riverman4utoday said:


> Getting ready to redo my trailer with spar varnish....not urethane. From what I know about putting spar varnish on wood oars, it flexes where as the spar urethane tends to be much more brittle and I would expect it to chip easier. Varnish has more flexibility and will give so it will last longer. That said, I really wouldn't expect either of these to get tacky in Summer heat. Sawyer wood oars use spar varnish and I have never seen them get tacky unless reactivated by chemicals.
> 
> Post photo's....let's see what it looks like!


I was not making the distinction between varnish and urethane in my post. What I was using was urethane and now I know the difference. Thanks to several of you for helping with that.


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## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

I went with the spar urethane because it is a little harder than spar varnish. That is the theory anyway. Spar varnish uses tung or linseed oil and stays more flexible. Thats why when you sit on that varnished adirondack chair in the summer heat you kind of stick. It isn't that it "re activates" it just isn't a hard finish because of the high oil content. The synthetic oil in spar urethane is a little faster and hopefully enough harder that after the raft sits on it for hours it won't stick. 

If it does, or starts getting soft when in the sun I will use a harder coating.

I'll post a pic when I get a chance to take one.


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

I did a TON of research on deck stains last year. The best products (longevity) are the transparent oil based stains. The Flood brand gets very good ratings. For every good review on others, I found an equally bad one. With Flood, there were many more positive reviews- buoyed by contractor recommendations. The encapsulating products (deckover, etc) do not allow the wood to breath. I had a terrible experience with the Olympic Rescue It product- it peeled badly in less than a year.

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## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

The problem I have with a stain, while it does breathe, they don't generally have a high build.

I want it all.

I want a high build and I want it to be clear. Hard enough so that it won't deform or get sticky while sitting all day on a boat ramp in the sun in August and yet just soft enough so it won't crack, chip, peel, or chalk.

If I can't find that then I'll just use a deck paint.


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

The best spar is called Epiphanes. It will give you that- after MANY coats. It is expensive- but it's the real deal. Others are gonna peel at some point. 

Something I've learned the hard way is PREP. It matters- a lot. Shit has to be dry. Really dry. If it's new wood, that takes months. If you blow that off, you're on borrowed time.

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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

If you elect to go solid- the Flood solid stain I used on my deck is working out well so far. Went on easy, high build, has about the best reputation for durability in a solid- should easily outlast paint.

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