Stabilizing punky wood slab

pour on epoxy , only way to go in my opinion’

Thanks Charles; can I just simply pour the epoxy onto the edges after I clean them up a bit?

-- Rob, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

yes you can , I prefer to thin the first coat about 25 % with acetone and brush it on and let it soak in well, after that you can either finish with another coating or continue with the epoxy ,Lowes has one by Zinnzer that I have used. Some of the craft stors has one called Enviorlite, its actually a polyester, but behaves the same.

Redwood is beautiful, but very soft, I would do the entire thing to “firm up the ” wood.

Pour on epoxy will work. If you’ve never used it before, put something on the floor to catch the mess. First time can get ugly. As for CA, it works great but it would take a lot to do those edges. Water based poly could work as well. Let itsoak in and dry. It wworks on my blue pine anyway.

-- Mother Nature created it, I just assemble it. - It's not ability that we often lack, but the patience to use our ability

I just realized who gave you the original epoxy advice. My advice then becomes, do whatever Charles tells you and you’ll be fine. :-)

-- Mother Nature created it, I just assemble it. - It's not ability that we often lack, but the patience to use our ability

Thanks again Charles, the Envirolite that you suggested for my last project worked really well. I like the idea of being able to thin the epoxy a bit with acetone; hopefully it’ll soak into the edges a bit better that way.
Monte; I’m going to wear an armband in the shop that says “WWCND” ie. What Would Charles Neil Do?

-- Rob, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Rob, Let us know when you start marketing those arm bands. We all need one!

-- " I'll try to be nicer, if you'll try to be smarter" gfadvm

This should be of use to a lot of people, good post. Didn’t realize that stabilizing stuff was readily available.

-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska

Will this process work on all types of wood? I have spalted maple that I need to stabilize.

-- Coach Mancuso

yes sir , it works well on any wood, the key is do the first coat or 2 thinned so it can soak it up.

as to the arm bands (LOL) , just ask, glad to help if I can

Haha, you definitely don’t want to use CA on that much, the fumes will kill you.

-- Failure does not stop me, it makes me try harder..... because I'm crazy.

There is also a Minwax Wood Hardener product that is basically thinned out Epoxy I have used on some rotten patio furniture that works pretty good.

-- Mauricio - Woodstock, GA - "Confusion is the Womb of Learning, with utter conviction being it's Tomb" Prof. T.O. Nitsch

You will have to protect the epoxy from UV light, sunlight, with a Varnish that has UV protection. Marine varnishes are really good. I use epiphanes. I think it is available in the US.

Jef