BBQ table - finishing advice

Soldato
Joined
6 Jan 2006
Posts
3,437
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
So Ive spent the winter building a bbq table for my weber, smoker and soon to be delivered Uuni3 pizza oven. Ive made it out of decking boards and fence posts but Im wondering what to finish it with to protect it from the fat drips and spits that are inevitable. I wont be putting any meat directly onto the table, I'll be using chopping boards for that, so its just to protect the wood from fat/oil. Im guessing I need some sort or oil or varnish but not sure which will be best?
 
Only varnish / paint will provide a hard barrier between wood and fat/oil etc. Anything else - wax, Danish oil etc - won't make the surface impervious to all that hot tasty! Though they will give a modicum of protection. It depends on whether you want to protect it or if you want it to "weather" over time. Perhaps something like Osmo Polyx Oil might be a decent option? They do exterior oils which will give protection too.
 
Thanks for the suggestion, I'll check it out thanks. I wasnt sure if yacht varnish would be suitable? There will be some exposure to heat, although Ive lined the openings with metal to keep it to a minimum, which may make the varish flake off over time? I wasnt sure if I should be leave it be and let it weather over time as you suggest.

I wonder if something like this would work - https://www.screwfix.com/p/ronseal-exterior-varnish-satin-clear-750ml/533fg It says that it keeps the appearance of the wood which Id prefer as I dont want to use a shiney varnish ideally.
 
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i just bought the cheapest outdoor wood / fence / shed paint from B & M and used that. i put 2 layers of it on but i will likely give the furniture a good hose down and a bit of a clean as it got a bit green tint to it over winter. then put another layer on it. i will repeat this process every year.

did the exact same thing made furniture out of pallets. my bbq table though is an old desk from ikea that we used to use and tried to sell on gumtree but nobody wanted a artists / architects desk with the light panel in it so now i use it for BBQ's it takes less than 2 mins to set up.
 
Mine is also built from pine deck boards and cedar fence posts and someone recommended I use marine varnish (called Spar over here IIRC). I haven't bothered with anything other than stain though. It's been left out in the elements for a few years now and is still going strong although I have been tempted to strip it down and add a varnish before the summer.
 
Yatch varnish will do what you need, the no nonsense stuff is pretty good for the price, goes on better than Hempel and just as good as Deks Olje.

2 thin coats (50% thinned) and a few coats full consistentcy with a knock back (400grit) before the final coat.
 
Yatch varnish will do what you need, the no nonsense stuff is pretty good for the price, goes on better than Hempel and just as good as Deks Olje.

2 thin coats (50% thinned) and a few coats full consistentcy with a knock back (400grit) before the final coat.

Ok thanks, sounds like I’ll go for yacht varnish then. What do you thin it with? Just water or do I need something else?
 
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