Replies

1. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 05, 2007 03:04am | #1

   I have no idea about a finish.. My first thought would be NONE!

   My thought is based on a above ground pool deck (20X30 oval as I remember) Redwood about 2 inch thick about four feet wide around it with railing. I had for many years (Chicago Bad summers and winters.)

   As I recall, I had that pool for about 20 years. In all that time only one board rotted for some reason. Maybe pool chemicals but some places turned sort of black but overall it always looked nice. My kids used it all the time so maybe the foot traffic (with all their friends) kept it smooth. I never had to do anything to that wood except replace one board.

   I'd suggest asking in Breaktime.

1. 
   creekwood | Sep 05, 2007 09:21pm | #3

   Thanks for replying, Will. That may be what they end up doing. The rest of the bathroom is cherry, with a satin poly finish. I'm not sure how the unfinished wood will look with the other.

   Jerry

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 05, 2007 04:09am | #2

   I'll start off by saying what should not be use. Do not use a film forming finish. Any film like varnish or poly varnish becomes almost like ice when it gets wet. It is very slippery and will lead to accidents.

   That leaves two choices. One is to do nothing. This is perfectly valid and makes for a non-skid surface. Another choice is an oil/varnish mixture like Watco Teak Oil or Waterlox Teak Oil. Oil finishes are not very slippery, offer some protection to the wood but do require re-application a couple of times a year.

   Howie.........
1. 
   creekwood | Sep 05, 2007 09:23pm | #4

   Thanks, Howie. I thought that about the film finish. I'm not sure they want to treat the wood once or twice a year, but they better figure out the trade-off, as they can't have it both ways.

   Jerry

3. 
   EdHarrison | Sep 06, 2007 04:56am | #5

   I'll bet the answer lies in an epoxy finish, sort of like a sailboat. I'm not sure how you would make it nonskid, though. The folks at Breaktime would probably know. I can't see leaving it bare, if it's inside. There's some nasty molds that grow on redwood in warm wet conditions. Article at FWW #9 on toxic woods explains a little about the kind of mold that grows on redwood. I know redwood is used as an all-weather wood and all that, but I would definitely pass on another encounter with that particular kind of mold - it caused me to develop pneumonia when I was working with a bunch of redwood that had it several years ago.

1. 
   creekwood | Sep 06, 2007 02:00pm | #6

   Thanks for the input, Ed. Sorry to hear the mold was learned of first-hand. I'll remember that, and look to seal it with something that will keep that from happening.

   Jerry

2. 
   WillGeorge | Sep 07, 2007 04:09am | #7

   Good post. I never thought of that.. I guess my wood out in the sun killed off any mold or was it the pool chemicals.I was wondering about something I saw good old 'Norm' use that was a one coat finish used for sailboats?..