# UV clear finish



## DeLauzonPainting (Dec 22, 2018)

Hello PT,
New member to the forum. 

I'm looking for an interior water based clear finishing solution that would provide the best UV protection and water resistance for interior window and door surfaces. Many of the windows are casements and will be exposed to UV light and humidity. I'm hoping that some members here might have some suggestions, wood finishing not being my area of expertise.

Thanks!


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

If you're looking for the "best" try Milesi, Sirca, ICA, or Zobel. There's a bit of a learning curve with these products. Also try utilizing the search tool. There's a 3-page thread on the same topic.


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## finishesbykevyn (Apr 14, 2010)

DeLauzonPainting said:


> Hello PT,
> New member to the forum.
> 
> I'm looking for an interior water based clear finishing solution that would provide the best UV protection and water resistance for interior window and door surfaces. Many of the windows are casements and will be exposed to UV light and humidity. I'm hoping that some members here might have some suggestions, wood finishing not being my area of expertise.
> ...


What will you be clearing over? Bare Wood, Stain, paint? Most interior clears don't have UV protection, you may switch to an exterior product. . A stain or paint will have have added UVprotection from the get go..


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## PACman (Oct 24, 2014)

Fixall (formerly California, Muralo) Ceramathane water based polyurethane is a UV inhibitive clear that is very easy to apply and extremely durable.


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## DeLauzonPainting (Dec 22, 2018)

Thank you for the advice.
They’re split finish with white oak interiors and factory finished cypress exteriors. The HO wants the interiors bleached and clear finished. There’s a mix of casement windows, fixed panel windows, lift and slide doors as pictured, and a few paneled entry doors. There are extension jambs and casings as well. The glass does provide 80% protection against UV light. I did look into the products this morning that Alchemy mentioned, reading some threads at the Woodweb on the 4 systems. Although the products appear to be the preferred systems by pro manufacturing shops, I’m looking for something more painter friendly without the steep learning curve mentioned. I was looking at General Finishes and Target coatings as well, having never used either of them.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

Target's exterior EM 9300 or interior EM 9000 w/cross-linker are both good/finisher friendly and both have UV inhibitors. Duratherms by chance?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Plenty of manufacturers make quality single component urethanes with UV inhibitors. General finishes, Daly's, Old Masters all easy to find. I don't recommend it but plenty of minwax helsman going into high $ homes as well.


If these are exposed to moisture/humidity isn't there always going to be issues when just the faces are sealed?


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## DeLauzonPainting (Dec 22, 2018)

Thank you for the recommendations. They are by Duratherm out of Vassalboro, ME. I think I might try either the EM finishes that Alchemy suggested or the General Finishes single component urethane that Coco suggested. 

Any recommendations for bleach? The only bleach sold locally by me is Lite'n'Up. It doesn't lighten the wood as well as I had hoped for. I tried 3 coats and it's still too dark, the HO wants it lighter.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

I'll be interested to hear other techniques other than a 2 part wood bleach (dalys sells a kit) or pickling white stain/dye


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## The Montana Painter (Dec 2, 2018)

I use oxalic acid( comes in a powder you mix and is the main ingredient found in most wood bleaches) I also use very hot water to mix it as the hotter water helps the process of bleaching the wood. You can test different concentrations to get the desired effect. Neutralize with white vinegar and rinse. Remember wood is wood and magic is hard to come by and replicate.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

The Montana Painter said:


> I use oxalic acid( comes in a powder you mix and is the main ingredient found in most wood bleaches) I also use very hot water to mix it as the hotter water helps the process of bleaching the wood. You can test different concentrations to get the desired effect. Neutralize with white vinegar and rinse. Remember wood is wood and magic is hard to come by and replicate.



Oxalic acid is Good for removing water and _some _tannin stains (rust from metal too), I don't think it has much effect actually bleaching any wood. @*DeLauzonPainting* is already using a 2 part wood bleach that should be a lot stronger bleaching effect than oxalic acid. I always use sodium carbonate (washing soda or daly's OAN), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to neutralize.


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> Oxalic acid is Good for removing water and _some _tannin stains (rust from metal too), I don't think it has much effect actually bleaching any wood. @*DeLauzonPainting* is already using a 2 part wood bleach that should be a lot stronger bleaching effect than oxalic acid. I always use sodium carbonate (washing soda or daly's OAN), sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) to neutralize.


In agreement:
OA won't have any effect on white oak other than slightly softening the naturally occurring iron components found in mineral streaks. We neutralize OA with sodium tetraborate aka borax or sodium bicarbonate. Hydrogen peroxide in basic solution is standard for lightening.

Daly's would be my close 2nd choice, IFP/Industrial Finishing Products being my 1st for wood bleach.

Finished a bunch of those Duratherms, Duratherm being a recent acquisition by Pella, one of their sister window/door manufacturing companies out by me. Lately been seeing them a lot on projects. 

I'm with Cocomonkeynut's idea on other techniques.


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## DeLauzonPainting (Dec 22, 2018)

I couldn't find any information on the IFP wood bleach. I searched the Industrial Finishing Products website and couldn't find it there either. I was able to pick up a Daly's set earlier and tried it out on some sample boards. It worked much better than the Lite-N-Up. I'm probably just going with the Daly's. 

Thanks for the tip!


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> I'll be interested to hear other techniques other than a 2 part wood bleach (dalys sells a kit) or pickling white stain/dye


One lightening effect that did come to mind was the utilization of lye soap in combination with sal soda or caustic soda mixed with calcium carbonate, and finished with a white vegetable oil. We would purchase the lye soap and oil from a small outfit in Nova Scotia. This is going back 20+ years ago, the manufacturer being a little known Danish company called Trip-Trap. USG would send us out 5's of their slurry calcium carbonate for free. The slurry was used to manufacture the core in drywall which is chalk. The little known company changed it's name to Woca, developing a white wood lye based on a similar principle. I think the company in Nova Scotia evolved into Sashco Products Ltd.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Alchemy Redux said:


> One lightening effect that did come to mind was the utilization of lye soap in combination with sal soda or caustic soda mixed with calcium carbonate, and finished with a white vegetable oil. We would purchase the lye soap and oil from a small outfit in Nova Scotia. This is going back 20+ years ago, the manufacturer being a little known Danish company called Trip-Trap. USG would send us out 5's of their slurry calcium carbonate for free. The slurry was used to manufacture the core in drywall which is chalk. The little known company changed it's name to Woca, developing a white wood lye based on a similar principle. I think the company in Nova Scotia evolved into Sashco Products Ltd.



Brought in some of that woca wood lye for a customer trying desperately to 'bleach' existing Douglas fir. 2 part bleach was out because it was already installed 20ft up. Never heard back though.


Sashco is very popular here. Basically the only caulk sold besides Dap


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## Redux (Oct 27, 2018)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> I'll be interested to hear other techniques other than a 2 part wood bleach (dalys sells a kit) or pickling white stain/dye


I meant Sasco in prior post..

Single step treatment which both lightens and ages, providing a very natural weathered look. The product eliminates a number of steps w/ease of application. It’s is a non-metallic reactive without heavy surface pigments, providing a tremendous amount of clarity. 

1st and 2nd photo illustrates product sealed w/2# cut dewaxed blonde shellac followed by 2 coats WB PU matte.

3rd photo is the product drying on white oak, no sealer.

4th photo illustrates look when wet with white spirits.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Alchemy Redux said:


> I meant Sasco in prior post..
> 
> Single step treatment which both lightens and ages, providing a very natural weathered look. The product eliminates a number of steps w/ease of application. It’s is a non-metallic reactive without heavy surface pigments, providing a tremendous amount of clarity.
> 
> ...



That is the type of look they were trying to replicate on the doug fir rafters to match the oak floor. I believe they ended up just doing a faux wood grain.


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