I am so confused......

[Gooch]

Hi guys, sorry for nagging at you for answers, but I need them sooner than later. Ok, to tell you the story, I just finished staining my tortoise table. After that dried, I put a coat of water based polyurethane on everything. All was going well. I am going to put several coats of polyurethane on everything once this dries. I posted a thread earlier about if I need a plastic liner, some said yes, some said no. I am so confused. My dad, who helped me with the tortoise table build, is a very good with woodworking, and he said that the plastic liner would for sure trap moisture down there, creating mold. I decided not to use the liner. I have had some mixed reviews on if I can just put 3-4 coats of polyurethane on there and be done. Please help me, I need a sealer that will withstand my topsoil, not break the bank, and is easy to use. Thanks so much for all your help, guys.

-Gooch

 

[Yvonne G]

What moisture? It can only trap moisture if it leaks. You line the bottom and make tight corners, bringing it up above substrate level, maybe even up and over the edge of the table. I've been doing this for 3 or 4 years and haven't had a mold problem yet.

But, like I told you before, your Russian tortoise is going to dig down and tear into the plastic. I don't know why you're still worried about plastic lining. It's not a good idea with your Russian tortoise. Go with the paint markw84 told you about

 

[Markw84]

Gooch

We did go through this on another thread, and the issue you have is - What will adhere properly to what you have already done!

Starting with bare wood is always best. Once you have already applied something, and want to change, the biggest issue is how to apply something on top of that. So you need to find out from a paint expert, how to prime over your polyurethane so something else can be applied.

The issue is with the constant moisture our substrate maintains, most paints, etc. will eventually bubble/peel. Most are not meant for exposure to constant moisture. And you need something tortoise safe due to off-gassing of many especially in an enclosed environment. I shared with you what I use and have had great success with. But as we progressed it became apparent you have already applied stain and polyurethane. So either stick with the polyurethane and monitor how it holds up over the upcoming year, or go to a paint specialist and find out how to prime and then apply over the polyurethane you already have. If you choose to not trust the polyurethane and want to go with something else, I would go to a Sherman Williams or other specialty paint store and talk to them about your issue. They normally are trained specifically for paint applications more than your big box home improvement stores.

 

[Gooch]

Thanks @Markw84 ill try that

 

[Gooch]

@Markw84 could over 5 layers of polyurethane stand up to the moisture or would each layer just deteriorate over time?

 

[Yvonne G]

Try it. You're going to have to change the substrate a couple times in the year anyway. Give it a try.

 

[Gooch]

Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it. @Yvonne G @Markw84

 

[Markw84]

Agree with Yvonne. Try it! You've already started that so give it a try at this point. If you apply the coats as directed, the polyurethane bonds into a thicker coat not 5 layers. That's why you always want to apply things that are designed to bond together

 

[Gooch]

@Markw84 Could two different brands of water based polyurethane bond together? The one I am currently using is running low and my local hardware store doesnt carry it. The one I am using right now is Behr Crystal-Clear Water Based Polyurethane and the one that I want to replace it with is Minwax Polycrylic Water Based Finish. I could use something else for the replacement but this one is the cheapest and has descent reviews.

 

[Gooch]

Hi guys, as some of you may know, I am in the process of sealing my tortoise table. I just put a layer of polyurethane over the stand and the table. I am planning on putting several coats on the inside where my tortoise comes in contact with, but do I have to put more layers of polyurethane on the outside? I am worried that the fumes from the stain will rise up from the stand and my tort will inhale them, but I don't know if that is the case when it is sealed with only one layer. Thanks in advance

 

[saginawhxc]

I let mine off gas for like three weeks. Most likely a week or two would be fine though. Basically off gas until you absolutely can't smell it anymore.

 

[Gooch]

Hi guys, Gooch here, again. So today I put the third layer of polyurethane on my tortoises enclosure. I kind of want it done before christmas, when we go on a week long vacation. I am planning on the last coat going on tomorrow, that means i have about 2 weeks for it to air out, set everything up, and put my tortoise in there. I read online that Polycrylic airs out a lot faster than polyurethane, so my question is, can I put a layer of Polycrylic over the polyurethane so it will air out faster? Thanks in advance

 

[Maro2Bear]

Gooch, i think you should be checking with the manufacturers of the product. We all here on the Forum have done things that worked and not worked so well. On our Sully's enclosure of pine planks, i applied many layers of KILZ to keep the wood protected from mold, mildew, etc. that said, before i filled the enclosure wih moist cypress mulch and coco coir and peat moss, i put a nice plastic layer down, sealed at the top edge with some moulding. This way, the wood beneath was sealed nicely, then covered with plastic, followed by a good thick layer of mulch. This worked like a charm for our sully. There's really no perfectly rightbor wrong answer here, everone has slightly different enclosures, lighting, humidity levels, etc.

 

[Markw84]

Gooch

I believe you said you are using water based polyurethane. stick with that and don't mix types. I would have no problem with fume problems certainly giving it a week to dry and off-gas. Polyacrylic is a bit hard to work with on large areas as it dries so fast. It also has to be applied in very thin coats as it is so runny. If you layer it very thick at all, it gets milky and will crack.

Water based polyurethane is known for drying quickly, more so than oil based polyurethane. So you are using one that is a fast-drying option already. The oil based type is more designed for areas where there is more water that will exposed to the surface, but you should be fine for quite a while with what you have.

Stick with what you have. If you have 3 coats on now and it is a uniform smooth finish with very few visible pores, you are fine. I would let it dry and off-gas for 5-7 days and you should be fine.

 

[Gooch]

@Markw84 Kinda ticked off right now.... Just saw that after the three coats of water based polyurethane that I put on, all the polyurethane was stuck to the bottom of the can, so I basically just put three coats of water and chemicals on my torts enclosure, making it almost useless. Now I have to go and buy another water based polyurethane and put maybe 3 more coats on.

 

[Gooch]

@Markw84 or anybody else could I use this water based polyurethane on my enclosure? http://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Ole...oss-Water-Based-Polyurethane-258691/202521762 I found this too, could I use the KILZ on my enclosure? http://www.homedepot.com/p/KILZ-2-1...imer-Sealer-and-Stain-Blocker-20941/100096395

 

[Tom]

@Markw84 Kinda ticked off right now.... Just saw that after the three coats of water based polyurethane that I put on, all the polyurethane was stuck to the bottom of the can, so I basically just put three coats of water and chemicals on my torts enclosure, making it almost useless. Now I have to go and buy another water based polyurethane and put maybe 3 more coats on.

Its always something, right??? Man I've had so many things like that happen to me… Ughhh….

 

[Gooch]

@Tom I always wish that everything would always go smoothly, but they never do. I guess that's just life.

 

[Martin Martinussen]

We have pool liner covering the bottom of the tabels and halfway up the sides.
And cover the liner on the sides with stones..

 

[Gooch]

Good idea @Martin Martinussen