I have a covered porch floor that I put down 14 years ago. It's T&G 5/4 Mahogany. For many years we oiled it but it gets southern exposure so it takes a beating. I am screening the porch in with Tiger Wire screen and we want to finish the floor off more "permanent" like an indoor hardwood floor. The screens will protect it a lot, but obviously not 100% so I need to use some kind of Marine finish. What do they use on Mahogany boats? Is that what I should use on the floor? Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!
Look up Spar finishes, it is what is suggested for exterior wood doors. Another that I have just heard about and it was all good is Waterlox.
I have used Penofin on decks, fences, and my front door. Decks were southern exposure in Colorado meaning intense sun, snow, wind..., (put it this way, furniture, carpet, and oak floor just inside from the deck with loE windows and shades sometimes pulled were sunbleached), the Penofin held up. Did two coats initially and a coat every few years or so after. It's stinky after putting down but gorgeous and tough. If it interests you look into it.
We used this product on the wood of our sailboat. It stood up pretty good. If you scroll down to the bottom of the page (past the -gasp- price) there is more info on the product. SIKKENS Cetol® Marine Wood Finish | West Marine
So I worked on the porch floor last week and over the long weekend. I took Thursday off and rented a sander. This is the floor before. Kind of hard to see but it's pretty gray and weathered: This is how it looked sanded: This is the sealer (part 1 of the Waterlox finish system). It called for one coat with hardwood and two for softwood. In retrospect I should have done two. Mahogany is a weird hardwood; it's not really the same hardness from board to board or even within the same board in my experience. Some areas soaked up more than others. Here it is with the last coat of the gloss finish. This is part two of the system. The first coat had me scared because it dried kinda blotchy, but I think that was due to the previous step (sealer) soaking in at different rates. Pretty happy with it now. Hopefully the dogs won't tear it up too soon! Next weekend I hope to install the Tigerwire screens. Can't wait to get this project done!
Well, I got most of it done this weekend thanks to my buddy who gave me a hand. Took us about 8 hours on Saturday. The end of the porch is not done. Those were the first two panels we tried since they were the "easiest" but the vendor made them too wide. The opening is 83.25" and his cut sheet showed each panel to be 42.125"; that wouldn't have worked even without deducting for the track on each side and the "H" connector in the middle! Anyway, here are the photos:
yeah so you got a long time to anticipate using in spring summer.. oh wait your in Northeast so in the summer your too busy getting ready for next winter to really enjoy.. sorry.. but your kids? will really enjoy next summer
