Hatch Finish ?

[Onajourney]

What is the recommended finish for the interior hatch baltic birch plywood? Poly or epoxy?

[Pmullen503]

Do a test of both and see which color you like best. Inside the seals it should be pretty dry.

[tony.latham]

Epoxy is great for sealing but isn't the best for a finish. It just doesn't want to flow out like a varnish. If you went in that direction, you would need to sand it flat and protect it from the sun with a spar varnish. (But the interior of a hatch shouldn't need extra sealing.) I use three coats of Minwax oil-based poly, which does an excellent job.





Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

Epoxy is great for sealing but isn't the best for a finish. It just doesn't want to flow out like a varnish. If you went in that direction, you would need to sand it flat and protect it from the sun with a spar varnish. (But the interior of a hatch shouldn't need extra sealing.) I use three coats of Minwax oil-based poly, which does an excellent job.





Tony

That's just what we did (likely due to Tony's advice), and it works fine.

Tom

[Onajourney]

I use three coats of Minwax oil-based poly, which does an excellent job.

Tony

Tony - You recommend Oil based poly. Any downside to using water based poly?
Chris

[TCJ]

I use three coats of Minwax oil-based poly, which does an excellent job.

Tony

Tony - You recommend Oil based poly. Any downside to using water based poly?
Chris

Not Tony, but lots of experience with Poly/varnish on boats. The problem with most water-based polys is that they deteriorate quickly in UV light; i.e., sunlight. In addition, they are usually crystal clear so they don't bring out the grain and depth of color in wood. There are many oil-based varnishes/polyurethanes that are formulated to be UV resistant, and fare much better in outdoor applications. Check out a place like https://www.defender.com/ for marine varnishes, and note they can be really expensive. The stuff you can get down at Home Depot, typically Minwax Helmsman varnish (https://www.minwax.com/en/products/protective-finishes/indoor-outdoor-helmsman-spar-urethane) doesn't last as long, but may be OK for a teardrop that only sees several months of sun a year.

There have been a few water-based marine varnishes to appear on the market recently; here's one I've used: https://www.totalboat.com/product/halcyon-marine-gloss-varnish/. The reports I've seen have been favorable with regard to longevity, but, be warned, I found it difficult to apply because it dries so quickly. It takes practice. Once you get the hang of it, though, you can produce a nice finish with 5-6 coats (in 2 days!). I've found that top-coating with a slower-drying water-based finish gives the best result, because the Halycon dries so quickly it doesn't have time to level out very well.

[tony.latham]

Any downside to using water based poly?
Chris

I have this emotionally based thing about the oil-based stuff. Over the years, it's done me well. And I think it looks a lot better. Brings out the grain better than the water-based stuff.

Tony

[Onajourney]

Thanks TCJ. I have Minwax Helmsman varnish and epoxy already that I will sample.