I have a solid redwood surfboard, made from old-growth reclaimed timber, that has been elaborately decorated with woodburning artwork…The thought is that an epoxy hotcoat would be the best finish to preserve the details of the artwork without making the wood any darker…This board was not intended to be ridden…I’ve pre-treated redwood with an acetone wash prior to applying typical resin and fiberglass before, but am uncertain whether acetone will damage the artwork, or whether the same pre-treatment is even necessary with an epoxy finish…tests are currently being performed, but I was curious whether there are any similar experiences I may be able to draw upon from the membership…Mahalo
If the wood is dry I prefer a polyester over the top because it polishes better and is clearer. Still there are some challenges.
Shellac over redwood
I’ve finished redwood surfboards with epoxy, no acetone required
Thank you…I agree, Man o’ War marine spar varnish is usually my first choice, a clear dewaxed shellac would be a close second, but I don’t want to darken the wood any deeper, and I don’t want to make the woodburning run at all, which has happened with the varnish in the past…unfortunately, there are some bumps and bruises which occurred during transport to and from the midwest, which I can’t sand out without damaging the artwork…except for the need to pre-wash the redwood with acetone, I would go with a polyester hot coat…the epoxy seems to be the current best solution
If you dont want to darken it just put a light coat of clear pastewax. let it dry and buff briskly with a bath towel. Make sure the solvents in the wax don’t mess with the colors. I like shellac myself but you dont seem to want it. Damn shame to put a plastic finish (epoxy) over what sounds more like a wooden sculpture rather that a common surfboard.
Sanding sealer followed by wax. Gives a lovely finish and should not darken the board. No idea how it effects the artwork. It’s methanol based, we use it a lot on furniture.
Sanding sealer much like shellac. Lots of different waxes on the market. I use Briwax. I build surfboards as a hobby these days. In my real life I have a an antique furniture resoration shop. I use lacquers also but they need to be sprayed and are tricky for a beginner. I love shellac. It’s organic and what we call reversable. In other words you can remove with common denatured alchohol. Also each coat melts in to itself so no sanding between is needed. Wax is also reversable by using VMP naptha (which is super refined mineral spirits…also known as lighter fluid).
Last year I restored a true Hawaiian antique plank. We went minimal and used shellac and brown wax. it just brought out the patina a bit.
As an afterthought you could probably also wipe on acrylic floor sealer. I have been using it on furniture with great results.
Shellac!!!
The oils in redwood bleed through Spar Varnish.
Also, I’d try whatever you decide on some scraps before you do the board., and then put it out in the hot sun. See what bleeds through.
Huck,
Absolutly sick boards!