This is not about plug building but I figured with the collective knowledge on finishing we have here. I may get the answer I need.

Ok so. Last year I built some adirondack chairs with a wood named Yellow Balau with a couple of accent stringers made of purple heart. A pair of chairs and a table to match. The table and chairs after a year of weathering has begun to peal. I am curious if any one has experience with Balau or purple heart? They were initially finished with spar urethane. Hand rubbed with gradual sanding between coats. I am just wondering if possibly oils from the wood are trying to escape? Causing the peel? The next question obviously is what would you use for finish?

I find urethanes to be very prone to peeling, Minwax Helmsman being one of the worst offenders. I'd have used a product called Sikkens. They make all kinds of exterior stains and clear coats for many different applications. The stuff will gradually wear away but won't peel, much like a semi transparent stain won't peel, but a solid stain or paint generally will. Even their solid decking stain doesn't peel....one coat lasts me at least two or three years....just wears off, doesn't peel. Great stuff.
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Good stuff Balau is like trying to apply finish to a rock the grain is super tight and the wood is hard as hell. Almost like teak
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I'd have used a product called Sikkens. They make all kinds of exterior stains and clear coats for many different applications. The stuff will gradually wear away but won't peel, much like a semi transparent stain won't peel, but a solid stain or paint generally will. Even their solid decking stain doesn't peel....one coat lasts me at least two or three years....just wears off, doesn't peel. Great stuff.
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Only problem I have with the Sikkens (CRD I think) is if you apply it too thick it will float on the surface and remain tacky.

-spence

I've had the same issue with both Spar Varnish and Polyurethane on exterior mahogany on my boat. Only way around seems to be cover in winter and to light sand and recoat every year in spring.

I've had the same issue with both Spar Varnish and Polyurethane on exterior mahogany on my boat. Only way around seems to be cover in winter and to light sand and recoat every year in spring.

Getting anything to really penetrate this stuff is tough. The purpleheart is heard as a rock also. I even considered heAting and epoxying the individual pieces prior to re assembly
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Before flexcoat an all those nice epoxies we used to use Zip guard urethane as a rod finish.I still have some of my old ones an the stuff is still holding up.a few cracks at the guide feet but the stuff went on easy and I'd use 2 to 3 coats of it. rods got beat with all the use an the stuff held up fine. these new finished that meet the VOC regs don't hold up at all . recoat every couple years an redo as needed. Try a thined coat or 2 then a reg coat. might make it last longer. Ron

you can also try an epoxy primer made with acetone and epoxy(60-40mix) , similar cpes but much cheaper. This will establish a well bonded coat to the surface and allow other finishes to last longer. Epoxy is not UV resistant so It needs a covering over it, spar varnish or an opaque finish. Spar varnish is good exterior finish, but must initially be applied in multiple coats, then as the finishes degrades a light sanding will get you back to a good layer and you can recoat, but with this method you do not have strip to bare wood. For opaque finishes any good boat paint, waterborne exterior or latex, will work well. I cannot stress enough how important the primer coat is to good exterior finishing particularly with some of the South American hardwoods, and teak in particular.

Ed

Before flexcoat an all those nice epoxies we used to use Zip guard urethane as a rod finish.I still have some of my old ones an the stuff is still holding up.a few cracks at the guide feet but the stuff went on easy and I'd use 2 to 3 coats of it. rods got beat with all the use an the stuff held up fine. these new finished that meet the VOC regs don't hold up at all . recoat every couple years an redo as needed. Try a thined coat or 2 then a reg coat. might make it last longer. Ron

zip guard:agree: everything else was just ca-ca....down to my last pint:crying: after 44 years of using it.