Replies

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 17, 2009 01:45pm | #1

   Red oak wasn't your best choice--it's a very bad outdoor wood with respect to moisture; when wet it can wick up moisture deep inside and rot from the inside out. That means that unless you want to start over with white oak, you have to make sure that it is well sealed from moisture penetration.  I'd use epoxy on all end grain, and especially, and copiously, on all ground contact surfaces.  That would however affect the ability to get an even appearance from the pickling process.  I would seriously consider shifting your top coat a bit to full fledged paint--a gloss or semi-gloss latex trim enamel, or  a marine enamel.  You will be able to still retain the grain appearance under the paint, but it will do a better job of helping seal the pores of the wood.  That combination should give a long life. 

   (I am assuming that in a screened porch it will get wet from time to time--I know rain gets horizonal at times on the Carolina coatst.  I also assume it won't get much direct sun. If much sun enters the picture things get even more complicated--let us know.) 

1. 
   backroadpartner | Mar 17, 2009 06:15pm | #2

   Thank you for your reply. I used red oak because it is very much available at reasonable prices where I am currently in Eastern Pennsylvania. Because of the peculiarities of my design, there is no end grain showing anyplace on the top. The legs will rest on a wooden floor and will have levelers at the ends in any event. That said, I really do not want to hide the grain with paint, unless you are suggesting that I apply a wash coat of latex primer followed by a thinned coat of semi-gloss white latex enamel.The design is as follows: the two side boards are ten inches wide with a two inch by seven eighth deep rabbet cut into the inside edge to support the marble insert, thus giving the outside length wide boards an eight inch appearance. Then, I cut three boards and glued and pegged them together forty inches long. The three boards are twenty two inches in width, having a two inch rabbet on one side similar to the two long boards. Next, I cut the end boards on a bias and the side boards on a reciprocal bias so that the could be glued and pegged together. That is why there is no end grain showing. Last, I routed two eighth inch grooves in the perimeter of the top, three eighths inboard of the top and bottom, it being remembered that the top is two inches thick. Those grooves will be painted red and blue to give a strong contrast to the pickling and the pastel coloring of the marble insert.No, I am not going to sell the table or put its picture in Fine Woodworking. It is going on to my porch on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. The porch is 12' x 36' with a deep roof overhang and the rain, which indeed does blow sideways, has never hit the top of the table that this one will replace. Hopefully, it never will.Any further comment or suggestions will be very welcome.Backroadpartner ([email protected])

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Mar 21, 2009 06:42pm | #3

   It was my thought to use the paint, thinned enough to flow readily, to cover the surface while leaving the grain on the oak to telegraph itself through.  Marble will, in itself, make the table top quite interesting, I'd think, especially with your other detailing. But you can use a wash coat "pickling" if you want, but you probably shouldn't thin waterborne paints sufficiently for that but use a product designed for the purpose--a pickling stain.  And, then either a soya based oil based varnish or an exterior rated waterborne acyrlic finish.    

   I would definately use epoxy sealing on the end grain revealed by the rabbets for the marble, and on your routed detailing. And definately on the bottom end grains as well, even if raised a little by the adjusters.  In coastal climes moisture can be insiduous.  That's mostly why I would recommend the opaque enamel since it allows the epoxy to be used almost invisibly.    

1. 
   backroadpartner | Mar 21, 2009 11:40pm | #4

   Many many thanks for your advice. Backroadpartner