what to use as a sealer to avoid checking? - Woodworking Talk

kjhart0133 · 09-21-2009, 02:42 AM

I have some red oak 6/4 boards that I will be cutting up soon but not right away. What can I use on the endgrain as a sealant to prevent checking? Is latex paint OK?

Thanks,

Kevin H.

**Daren** · 09-21-2009, 07:57 AM

I use anchorseal and seal the ends of the whole log when it is fresh felled...Having said that 2-3 coats of latex paint is sure better than nothing and will work in a pinch, just not as well as a product designed to prevent end check like the stuff I linked.

greg4269ub · 09-21-2009, 10:57 AM

the logs i had gotton with my saw were down several years and the ends were checked pretty bad when i got them soi didn't bother with those ones. thanks for bringing it up though because i was getting ready to ask that question in the next few days.

kjhart0133 · 09-21-2009, 05:53 PM

Daren,

Thanks again for your very helpful responses. I might just try the latex paint since I have a lot of half empty paint cans. Might be a good way to use some of it up.

Should I coat up the sides of the lumber a couple of inches as well as the end grain. Or is just coating the end grain sufficient. I wouldn't want to run that latex through a jointer or planer. I suppose you just crosscut off the coated end when you're ready to use the wood.

Thanks,

Kevin H.

woodnthings · 09-21-2009, 07:00 PM

If fact I color coded my stock while sealing the ends: White for white oak; red, for red oak, maple was yellow, pine was green.
You might want to write the date on the ends in marker as well. Make a sample board while you're doing it and keep it in a visible location.
BTW, 2 coats is good.

bill

**TexasTimbers** · 09-25-2009, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by woodnthings

White for white oak; red, for red oak, maple was yellow, pine was green.

What puzzles me is, how the heck did you identify the different species before they had color-coded ends?

woodnthings · 09-25-2009, 07:10 PM

I looked up at the leaves, then I cut the tree down!

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasTimbers

What puzzles me is, how the heck did you identify the different species before they had color-coded ends?

Seriously, me and the sawmill guy keep the different woods separated until I got them painted. The last sawmill folks are friends of mine and they came out and 1/4 sawed some white oak, free from another friend...beautiful. I gotta stop workin' on the house and shop and start buildin' somethin' fun.

bill

tribalwind · 10-01-2009, 12:19 PM

the first wood i got to mill was pecan from my neighbor. i used latex paint on the ends.well it didnt work so well...i didnt give it all 2 coats though.jsut 1 generous one. i use anchorseal now too,got a 5gal bucket thats been lasting me a while..
for convenience i poured soem in a plastic mayo jar cut a hole in the lid and stuck a paint brush thru it,glued in place. that works well..though i think even better would be a paint roller with short/medium knap,and a way to keep it in a container with the anchorseal wax.

i also tried using a cheap hand-pump garden sprayer,liek for fertilizer/herbicide etc...it sort've worked, but the nozzle gets clogged up when it dries...anchorseal sells 1 specifically for it,forget how much it was.but the brush is easy enough if not a huge bunch of logs.i did the spray trick on a huge stack of cedar log and brnaches..saved lot of time.

Tony B · 10-09-2009, 09:31 AM

I water down the heavy residue of glue at the bottoms of old one gallon glue jugs and paint it on. I have had good success.