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Thread: Should I fill in a crack?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Juneau, Alaska
    Posts
    19

    Should I fill in a crack?

    I am making an outdoor bar that will be exposed to a good deal of rain, though not much sun. The top of the bar is a live edge slab of yellow cedar and has a crack running a decent portion of the length. I've stabilized the crack with a few butterflies and some aluminum bracket on the bottom. Now that I am ready to apply the finish (Man o War spar varnish) I am second guessing my choice to leave the crack open. Should I fill the crack with epoxy to prevent water from sitting in there? Will the varnish take as well? I am worried about the epoxy weathering poorly outside and not looking very good after a few years. Anyone out there have experience with anything similar?

    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
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    9,645
    You're right, epoxy doesn't do well with UV exposure. However, a highly durable finish system is based on epoxy topcoated with varnish with UV absorbers. I would tape off around the crack as best you can, then fill the crack with epoxy. (If you don't fill the crack water is going to get in there and work its way under the varnish.) When it's cured, remove the tape and sand the top so the epoxy is flush and only in the crack. Then topcoat with a good exterior varnish. In my world, that's not Man-O-War, it's more like Epifanes Marine Varnish or equivalent. In a FWW test a number of years ago, Epifanes was by far the best one component varnish. Even better was epoxy + Epifanes, which is another option to consider. Many typical spar varnishes didn't last a year.

    John

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Kansas City
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    2,652
    I have an outdoor bench with some epoxied joints that were done sloppily. Where some epoxy was exposed, it's turned a very dark opaque yellow, which may or may not look bad with your wood.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
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    WNY
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stan Calow View Post
    I have an outdoor bench with some epoxied joints that were done sloppily. Where some epoxy was exposed, it's turned a very dark opaque yellow, which may or may not look bad with your wood.

    You likely didn't use a varnish with UV absorbers in it, right? Had you, that would not have happened.

    John

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    Tasmania
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    2,162
    +1 for what John says. Epoxy only changes colour if unprotected from uv. Use a uv stabilised top coat and there is no problem. I use a similar system for protecting steel in severe marine environments. I get 10 to 15 years before the equipment needs rework. Cheers

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    Juneau, Alaska
    Posts
    19
    Thanks for the good suggestions. I will be getting some epoxy after work today to fill it in.

    Sorry about not responding to your suggestions sooner, the sun came out so I went camping for the weekend.

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