plywood sink coating

[derwent]

West is MUCH nicer to work with than polyester....

 

[Chuck_P]

for about the same price, you can get the right quantity of west systems epoxy shipped to your door. It's sold at boating stores because it works well in making wooden boats or other things that get wet on a daily basis. Lots of us have used it on sinks w/o cloth. Why risk it with a product made for concrete?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|12212|309317|636678&id=12198
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|12212|309317|636682&id=12283

1. Do you coat both sides of the sink with this stuff or just the inside? My sink is 8ft x 30 inches deep with 8" sides, I wonder how much would be needed for a sink that size.

2. Clear but amber colored resin applied over plywood, this is not the look I'm after. I want the plywood to be colored either to a light gray or some off-white color----can the sink be primed and then the resin applied, or does the resin have to be applied to an unpainted wood surface? The joints are caulked with a high quality polyurethane caulk. The reason for wanting an epoxy paint is that I can tint it the color I desire and it seems it would be simpler to apply, just like painting, but I don't really know about that assertion, it's just how it seems to me without any experience with it.

 

[Bob Carnie]

West Products are amazing, all my sinks are coated and no problems.

for about the same price, you can get the right quantity of west systems epoxy shipped to your door. It's sold at boating stores because it works well in making wooden boats or other things that get wet on a daily basis. Lots of us have used it on sinks w/o cloth. Why risk it with a product made for concrete?

http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|12212|309317|636678&id=12198
http://www.defender.com/product.jsp?path=-1|10918|12212|309317|636682&id=12283

 

[Chuck_P]

I get that it's good stuff, but I have questions before any purchase is made, post #27, thanks.

 

[Chuck_P]

I made a call and found out that I can paint it after it is coated, very good.

 

[Bob Carnie]

One of our sinks was painted before, so I do not think it matters before or after.

I made a call and found out that I can paint it after it is coated, very good.

 

[fotch]

1. Do you coat both sides of the sink with this stuff or just the inside? My sink is 8ft x 30 inches deep with 8" sides, I wonder how much would be needed for a sink that size.

2. Clear but amber colored resin applied over plywood, this is not the look I'm after. I want the plywood to be colored either to a light gray or some off-white color----can the sink be primed and then the resin applied, or does the resin have to be applied to an unpainted wood surface? The joints are caulked with a high quality polyurethane caulk. The reason for wanting an epoxy paint is that I can tint it the color I desire and it seems it would be simpler to apply, just like painting, but I don't really know about that assertion, it's just how it seems to me without any experience with it.

I painted both sides with the tinted (light yellow) epoxy paint. Only used the fiberglass cloth on the inside corners/joints. No primer. Regular 3/4 inch plywood, no need for marine grade. Only thing I would do over is put the drain in one corner rather than the center. That way the sink could be slightly tilted to drain to the corner.

 

[wildbill]

epoxy is best applied to raw wood. I'd remove the caulk, lot's of things don't stick to it and it's not needed if your coating is waterproof. You didn't use birch ply which is more stable but you don't need to coat both sides. Just paint the outside. My first sink was slightly smaller than yours and the links I provided were enough to do 2 coats, maybe I did three. Several coats with a brush to the joints. The nice thing is you can buy powder to mix with the epoxy to die it. Defender sells that as well. My latest sink is 8ft x 30 inches and 18in deep at the back with a drop down basin. I bought the large .98 gal can of epoxy and did three coats with a foam roller (not the right roller cuz it left bubbles). The cans don't feel like I used that much but doing light coats with a roller uses less than sloppying it on with a brush. Those bubbles can be eliminated with a propane torch (manufacturer recommended) if you go over the surface before it sets up. I mix the resin in a beer can with the top cut out.

Here's some attached pics of my new sink in my new darkroom. Whoever buys my house when I die is getting a sink because I assembled it in place and I'm pretty sure it's an inch wider/deeper than the door. The drain is epoxied in place after being routed out so it would sit flush.

 

[Chuck_P]

And I found this at Sherwin Williams today, Water Based Catalyzed Epoxy paint----also promising, not as pricey at $146 total for part A and B. It has a definite system recommendation for wood and is not as expensive as the water-based tile clad in my OP.

http://www.paintdocs.com/webmsds/webPDF.jsp?SITEID=STORECAT&doctype=PDS&lang=E&prodno=B70W211

 

[Chuck_P]

epoxy is best applied to raw wood. I'd remove the caulk, lot's of things don't stick to it and it's not needed if your coating is waterproof. You didn't use birch ply which is more stable but you don't need to coat both sides. Just paint the outside. My first sink was slightly smaller than yours and the links I provided were enough to do 2 coats, maybe I did three. Several coats with a brush to the joints. The nice thing is you can buy powder to mix with the epoxy to die it. Defender sells that as well. My latest sink is 8ft x 30 inches and 18in deep at the back with a drop down basin. I bought the large .98 gal can of epoxy and did three coats with a foam roller (not the right roller cuz it left bubbles). The cans don't feel like I used that much but doing light coats with a roller uses less than sloppying it on with a brush. Those bubbles can be eliminated with a propane torch (manufacturer recommended) if you go over the surface before it sets up. I mix the resin in a beer can with the top cut out.

Here's some attached pics of my new sink in my new darkroom. Whoever buys my house when I die is getting a sink because I assembled it in place and I'm pretty sure it's an inch wider/deeper than the door. The drain is epoxied in place after being routed out so it would sit flush.

Nice carpentry...........it's out of my scope of desire for my darkroom sink, but the birch veneer makes it look so clean, nice job. My drain hole is also routed for a flush mount drain.

 

[Chuck_P]

For what it is worth..........I'm going with the Sherwin Williams "Water Based Catalyzed Epoxy" paint. The cost of the West Systems epoxy for a gallon of the 105 resin and a quart of the 206 hardener is right about the same as a gallon and a quart of the A and B components of the SW product, ~$150. It was explained to me today also that I would need the pump kit to accurately obtain the 5:1 ratio of resin to hardener, that's another $15 or 20$, then I need to buy at Lowes paint to paint the sink once it's coated and dried, then their is the shipping cost for the epoxy product itself.

I can get the SW product locally with no other associated cost, except a quart of primer.

 

[Roger Thoms]

For what it is worth..........I'm going with the Sherwin Williams "Water Based Catalyzed Epoxy" paint. The cost of the West Systems epoxy for a gallon of the 105 resin and a quart of the 206 hardener is right about the same as a gallon and a quart of the A and B components of the SW product, ~$150. It was explained to me today also that I would need the pump kit to accurately obtain the 5:1 ratio of resin to hardener, that's another $15 or 20$, then I need to buy at Lowes paint to paint the sink once it's coated and dried, then their is the shipping cost for the epoxy product itself.

I can get the SW product locally with no other associated cost, except a quart of primer.

The pumps aren't necessary if you have a good scale because you can mix by weight, 3.5 resin:1 hardener, the pumps are very convenient though. As far as painting the epoxy, I don't think that is necessary unless it is going to be exposed to a lot of UV. I'm not trying to change your mind, as it sounds like the Sherman William product will work well, just pointing this out for anyone else considering West System epoxy.

Roger

 

[wildbill]

I didn't have pumps the first time around either but I did have a small scale. The small container would work, as I said, you wouldn't need a gallon of the epoxy. Go with the sherman williams stuff, after all they have more experience with darkroom sinks than anyone here.

 

[jk0592]

Twenty five years ago, I used West System Epoxy, and the only problem I encountered with it is stop bath staining the epoxy.

 

[Chuck_P]

Either one seems quite a good choice, I think it is a matter of personal choice, and I don't have any scales-------I know it's a darkroom sink, but I would not like the final look of the sink with the plywood simply coated in a amber colored resin, it needs to have a suitable color for my liking, it will probably be a light to middle gray, or even something lighter. I appreciate all your thoughts.

Chuck

 

[Dan Henderson]

I can report that I am satisfied with the West System epoxy that I used on the darkroom sink I just finished building. I ordered one day, Fedex delivered the next. The online instructional videos and written documentation were very helpful. I ordered the quart size of epoxy and the matching amount of catalyzer, and got 2 coats plus all of the filleting that I had to do for the corners. Because I have never used epoxy before I ordered the pumps, rollers, mixing tubs, swizzle sticks, etc, which added a bit to the cost. With the exception of pumps for convenience, I probably would not do that again with the experience I now have.

I think that the 2 coats I applied will hold up just fine, but in the near future I plan to build a tray storage area under the sink which I will want to epoxy, so I will put another coating on the sink at that time.

My only complaints; because of inexperience I was spooked by the set up time and rolled it on pretty fast. As a result the surface is not as smooth as I would like, but it is not fine furniture. It is a darkroom sink that is going to get fixer stains all over it, so I am not terribly concerned with final finish.

I was also disappointed in the West Systems rollers, one came apart partway through the first coat. I will probably just buy short nap foam rollers from Lowe's next time. If I had it to do over again, I would use West again. But I am glad I don't have to do it over again. I want to make prints, not sinks.

 

[bill@lapetelabs.com]

I've got two 3x8 marine plywood sinks coated with GLUVIT, a two part waterproof epoxy paint! You can embed fiber glass sheets or use filler with it like West Marine Epoxy! Its bullet proof and it has been in constant use for five years! It rolls on with a foam roller and has a 2 hour pot life. I got mine at a local (MASSACHUSETTS) marine hardware store, it comes in quarts or gallons/ I used two quarts to allow a second coat after sufficient dry time, first coat in the corners and to build up a slope to the drains.

 

[Bob Carnie]

two coats should be fine... I need to recoat mine soon so I will sand and put a couple of coats again.. really nice stuff.

I can report that I am satisfied with the West System epoxy that I used on the darkroom sink I just finished building. I ordered one day, Fedex delivered the next. The online instructional videos and written documentation were very helpful. I ordered the quart size of epoxy and the matching amount of catalyzer, and got 2 coats plus all of the filleting that I had to do for the corners. Because I have never used epoxy before I ordered the pumps, rollers, mixing tubs, swizzle sticks, etc, which added a bit to the cost. With the exception of pumps for convenience, I probably would not do that again with the experience I now have.

I think that the 2 coats I applied will hold up just fine, but in the near future I plan to build a tray storage area under the sink which I will want to epoxy, so I will put another coating on the sink at that time.

My only complaints; because of inexperience I was spooked by the set up time and rolled it on pretty fast. As a result the surface is not as smooth as I would like, but it is not fine furniture. It is a darkroom sink that is going to get fixer stains all over it, so I am not terribly concerned with final finish.

I was also disappointed in the West Systems rollers, one came apart partway through the first coat. I will probably just buy short nap foam rollers from Lowe's next time. If I had it to do over again, I would use West again. But I am glad I don't have to do it over again. I want to make prints, not sinks.

 

[Mainecoonmaniac]

I used fiber glass resin for my sink and it stinks to the high heaven for a long, long time, but it's water proof. It's the same stuff they make surfboards.

 

[DREW WILEY]

Around here Smith's 2-part penetrating marine epoxy is mostly used, but West System and Abatron
have very similar products. The key is "penetrating" (versus just a topcoat paint). Two coats minimum. Seams ideally need reinforcement with 2-part epoxy putty.

 

[mr rusty]

I used 2 part epoxy (SP 320 - like west systems - its non stinky). The only tip I can make is read the instructions, particularly regarding recoating time, and its easy to measure out by weight if you have some electronic kitchen scales that you can zero with any container stood on them.