Saw a '53 FORD pickup with a new wood kit in the bed that had a great finish on it, the owner said he just stained it and clear coated it. Done a little painting and read it was advisable to stay in whatever system you were using and not cross brands, so how is it any clear coat would be compatible with a wood stain? If this is a good idea I would like to try it.
No i would not. Just oil the timber as required. It will need regular oiling for ut to look its best. Sent from my SM-G900I using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
The companies that make wood stains also make clear coats for wood. There are urethane stains so some urethane auto clears may work. No paint company will guarantee the product when you mix brands. There is also discussion as to whether you should coat the whole board or not.
I'm not saying its a good idea or to try it, but I have and it worked. In fact,while in the body shop, we clearcoated a 4x8 plywood sign that was painted by a sign painter. I don't remember anything bad happening to it and it hung outside the shop for years.
It may be better to use a quality product that is a strong UV resistant clear coat. Marine products used for wood on sailboats is designed to protect wood & stand up to being out in the weather. Not sure that the rattle can would give the durability that you may want for a new bed.
I've had great results with Awlgrip marine products. Especially their urethane clear over wood. It can be brushed on but I always spray it with a binks mg1 hvlp gun with a 1.3 tip.
I'd treat a wood P/U bed the same way you refinish a front door on a house. Just got done refinishing the front door on our house. Sanded the old finish down, cleaned with tack cloth, added three coats of Min Wax stain using paper towels, and three coats on Min Wax polyurethane clear satin finish after very light sanding after the first two coats. Turned out great, it looks like a piece of fine furniture. Total cost of materials less then $20. Gary
I wouldn't do that. Stick to a clear manufactured by the same stain make. Brush on works fine. Smooths right out.
The problem with rattle cans on wood is you never get the same film thickness as you do with a brush or commercial spray gun. The finish tends to sit on top of the wood instead of soaking into the wood fibers. There for it doesn't bond with the wood as well as it should. So the wood doesn't get all the UV/water protection it needs and the finish wears/flakes away after a short time.
I recently made a hat rack out of a piece of rough-sawn pine. I sanded it somewhat smooth and clear coated it with just a spraybomb. But, keep in mind this lumber was cut years ago and was really dry. and this hangs on the wall inside. It looks great! I also painted it outside on a 90* day in direct sun.
Am I missing something here? People who own sail boats spend most of their spare time sanding the exterior "bright work" (Varnished wood) and applying new coats of varnish. The UV breaks down the clear coat used in the clear varnish. Perhaps they have come up with some new formulas that work better. If not, sanding and recoating the bed of a truck every other year does not sound like fun to me.
I've used Marine Varnish on wood in Model A's, and on a park bench on my front porch, seems to hold up to weather and available in most hardware stores.
if you really want an automotive clearcoat ,maybe try SPI clear. tech sheet says it can be sprayed over any base coat . https://www.southernpolyurethanes.com/ my first thought however was a marine grade clear coating from the same manufacturer as your stain.
I've had better luck with Minwax products than any other brand for wood finishing. Their Spar Polyurethane is made specifically for exterior use where the wood will be exposed to UV from sunlight. All polyurethanes for wood finishing are moisture cure products as opposed to the 2 component products used for automotive work. It's best to apply the stain and then wait at least 24 hours before applying the urethane. Because any wood is somewhat porous, the first coat of urethane is going to have some small bubbles and slight raising of the grain that'll make that first coat feel rough. If you want a super slick finish, you let the first coat act as a sealer, dry for a couple days, sand it smooth, and then proceed with your additional coats. While oak is the most popular wood for truck bed wood kits, IMO it is only really suitable for garage queens as its decay resistance is near zero. Problem is, the oak kits are the only hardwood kits that are fairly cheap. A kit made from ipe or teak or some similar wood that'll outlast the truck comes at a substantial premium price, both due to the cost of the wood itself and in most types the difficulty of working it as compared to oak. OTOH, if you have a fairly well equipped woodworking shop at home, you can spend roughly the price of one of the pre-made oak kits on some of the more rot resistant hardwoods and make the pieces yourself to end up with a floor that's both more durable and different from what most everyone else has.
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