Message Thread:
Concerning wormy chestnut...
2/28/17
Here's one you haven't heard before! I'm making a truck bed for a 59 GMC out of unfinished wormy chestnut barn siding. The weathered side is what will show. It is very old and I'm wondering how I can reasonably protect it from further deterioration without altering the weathered look.
3/1/17 #3: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
You may want to look at Sherwin Williams Homoclad Sealer.
3/1/17 #4: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Correction. Nix the Homoclad. Interior only!
Retaining the original weathered look of wormy chestnut is going to be tricky with an exterior coating. Most are film forming and will alter the appearance.
3/1/17 #5: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Thanks RobJ! I thought of possibly using a flat clear polyurethane...like using a flat clear coat on automotive paint to get a matte finish. I guess I could try different stuff on some excess pieces of the boards to see if anything works. The old boards will really soak up whatever I use though. Maybe best to just keep it out of the weather.
3/1/17 #6: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
dash riprock,
I have extensive experience working with reclaimed Wormy Chestnut. I would not even consider using it for a truck bed. The wood is far too soft to take the abuse it will be subjected to in this use.
Other than this, you will need to consider the array of worm and boring insect holes that will present themselves on every surface of each board. You will be able to seal the surface of the boards with poly, 2k poly or any other finish products, but unless you completely fill all of the holes with some type of epoxy filler and seal all edges of each board. You are asking for moisture penetration and the inevitable degradation of the wood.
I am writing this response from my desk in my Wormy Chestnut kitchen, built and installed 18 years ago. I could not imagine what this wood would look like if exposed to the elements. It's hard enough to keep certain area, of the kitchen, clean and moisture free.
I don't mean to put a damper on your plans, but Given the cost of the material, I think your money is better spent on oak or ash, which are better suited for your task.
My2cents, Best wishes,
DCS
3/1/17 #7: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Know anyone with a UV curtain coater?
That would be my other suggestion.
Van Technologies make a good UV coating.
3/1/17 #8: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
DCS, I totally agree. It's an off-the-wall idea but I'm doing it for sentimental reasons. I'm restoring my granddad's short bed stepside truck. Before he passed, we tore down an old house on his farm and stacked all the wormy chestnut in the barn. So because it was his truck, and we worked together getting that wood together...well, why not. I don't intend to haul anything in it but I want it to look old and weathered just like it did. I've even sanded through a new paint job to get the flat (matte) finish on it and sanded to the primer in spots to make it look faded. It won't matter to anyone but me what kind of wood is back there. It will be kept in the dry and driven only on weekends but still, I feel some protection is required if possible.
RobJ, I'm looking up your suggestion now. Thanks for your advice guys!
3/1/17 #9: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
dash,
If you are doing it for the reason mentioned, I apologize for the rambling response before. What a nice tribute to your grandfather...
If your intentions are to keep it dry and not use the bed for utilitarian purposes, Have at it....
You can use any film finish you are comfortable using; Poly, 2K poly, epoxy, conversion varnish... what ever.....
Have fun and post pics when you are finished...
I would not bother with a UV curtain coater...seems like overkill...
3/1/17 #10: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
DCS, No apology necessary Sir. Will try all you've suggested until I get the right look. Your advice is much appreciated.
3/2/17 #11: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Dash,
I have treated wormy chestnut many different ways and in many different applications. One of my favorite ways of treating wormy chestnut, is a wash coat of dewaxed amber shellac and finishing with CV in any sheen level. The amber shellac adds a simple beauty which, I feel, enhances the natural beauty of this special wood.
All the best,
DCS
3/3/17 #12: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
DCS,
It seems that what you are suggesting would apply to carefully sanded and smoothed boards. The boards in my truck will be the rough side showing as they were on the house before it was dismantled. However, there will be pieces left over that I intend to sand smooth and finish just to see what the wood looks like. I like your suggestion about the amber shellac and I think I'm right to assume that you are an expert on this wood. Now, I'm left to decide what to do with a bed made of wormy wood taken directly off a 100 year old house and turned horizontally into 8 boards making up the wood bed of this truck. The boards are currently about 10' x 1" thick in varying widths. The truck bed requires 8 boards...4 are 77 1/8" x 7 1/4" x 3/4", 2 are 5" wide and 2 are 4 1/4" wide. So you can see I'll have some excess to experiment with. In trying to maintain the weathered look of the truck and the bed, reckon I should just leave the wood in the bed alone or is there something I should brush or spray on it for some minimal protection without darkening or otherwise altering the appearance? I was thinking of multiple very light spray coats of some sort of flat or satin clear poly.
3/4/17 #13: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Dash,
Given that these boards have been taken from an interior installation and now will be used in the outdoors, installed with the broad flat surface exposed to the elements.
I am not quite sure what the sun will do to this wood? never tried...
I'm sure the wood looks great as it sits, but my guess is that it will not look like that for long. Keeping the wood in its rough state will probably create more trouble in the future. I'm not suggesting that you surface plane to an absolutely smooth surface, but I would knock the surface down a bit, to make sealing a little easier and to get a complete seal on the wood.
Water based poly will give OK protection from the use it will probably see. Seal all sides of the boards to keep from cupping.
These boards are most likely bone dry. You will want to keep atmospheric moisture exchange to a minimum.
Have fun,
Doug
3/4/17 #14: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Find an ICA coating distributor in your part of the United States. Ask for their exterior waterborne lacquer.....get the lowest sheen available, 10. Call it a day. ICA is currently the best available. It will preserve the 'natural' quality of the chestnut.
3/4/17 #15: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Doug and RobJ,
You guys have given me plenty to think about. The wood was actually on the exterior of the old house. It's very weathered which is the look I'm going for. I agree that I should bite the bullet and knock down the boards ever so slightly just to get the splinters off and to create a better bonding surface. I went to the ICA website and I like the idea of the waterborne lacquer. I think I'll try the ICA product and figure out how to spray it, then dust some very light coats on the wood which should allow it to dry before actually penetrating the wood. 4 or 5 dust coats, letting it dry in between, should build up a base to allow medium coats which will serve only to add to the thickness of the lacquer coating. The end effect should be like a really thin almost plexiglass cover on top of the unfinished wood. Thanks again. I'll let you know how it goes. Should take a couple of weeks from now.
3/5/17 #16: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
Just a thought and a suggestion. How about coating the Chestnut in WD-40. Its available in Gallons. Brushing it on or rolling it on negates the need for spray equipment and its way easier on the wallet. That was the " thought ". The suggestion would be to be absolutely sure that the wood is bone dry prior to applying any coating. Whatever you coat it with, coat all surfaces equally and apply some extra on the end grain....
3/6/17 #17: Concerning wormy chestnut... ...
EVERYTHING HAS CHANGED! The cabinet shop working on the boards planed down one side to make them all 3/4" thick. The smooth side looks so good I've decided to expose the smooth side up. The rough (weathered) side side will now be the bottom of the truck bed. I have some marine hull coating that I can roll on the underside to waterproof it. Now I have a really nice upper side of the wood exposed and have to finish it for protection. Everything I've read, even about marine grade finishes, says I'll have to redo it every couple of years. Man...this is some hard research. Still don't want to change the color of the natural wood so whatever will have to be satin clear. So what now?
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