Hi there!
I’ve built a custom travel trailer that has wood siding. I’m using Wooscapes exterior water based stain from Sherwin Williams. This has a sealer in it that all told is really quite effective. But being on a trailer that is on the road often, the siding takes a beating. This has meant refinishing the wood annually – a bit of a chore to deal with every year
I am pondering how to get more life out of it by perhaps adding some sort of a finish coat. But I’m reading on the interwebs that poly coats over this type of sealing stain is a bad idea. I’ve gotten some recs from a couple people that a spar urethane like Helmsmens might work, but that there’s some risk of yellowing and the stain failing underneath the urethane.
Any thoughts on what might work in this situation?
Thanks!
Robert
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Replies
I think you will find more experience with those outdoor products on the Fine Homebuilding forum.
My 2 pennies' worth - as the trailer's on the road a lot I can't think of anything that can best mother nature. In other words, short colored aluminum siding, you're stuck with the annual re-touch. Then again, I don't know everything.
Mikaol
If you mean by “refinishing the wood annually” that you have to apply another coat, you’re not going to find any clear topcoat to end that ritual, including spar varnish/urethane. The only multi-year exterior coatings are opaque (paints), or some of the newer iron oxide coatings that are semitransparent. Google “transoxide exterior finish” for information on those newer coatings. You may cause more work, and change the appearance of your siding, by adding a topcoat though.
eddo234 is right. Working with boats you learn nothing stands up to UV and your in a similar environment to that of boat plus you have added abrasion with the dirt from the road.
Painted boat finish has the longest life. Varnish for one that is out in the weather it pretty much a yearly thing.
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