Protecting and enhancing wood often involves making a decision between epoxy coatings and penetrating epoxy sealers. Each of them offers different benefits, but the more you understand about their differences, the better decision you will be able to make based on your needs. Let’s learn what an epoxy coating and penetrating epoxy are.
What is an Epoxy Coating?
Epoxy coating involves protecting surfaces with an epoxy resin, a two part polymer, applied to the outside of the surface to be protected. Epoxies bond well to many substrates, and whilst they suffer from degradation by UV light they have many desirable properties as well.
Epoxy coatings offer excellent resistance to abrasion, moisture, harsh chemicals and severe temperatures. Epoxy coating is not only long-lasting but also resistant to most corrosive materials. Epoxies are popular options for diverse industrial coating applications, including steel, aluminium, concrete and others in addition to timber.
Epoxy coatings used on timber in marine environments are often used with glass cloth to provide strength. Whilst this may appear an excellent idea; the rigid nature of the epoxy coating and the glass reinforcement within it are nowhere near as flexible as the underlying timber substrate. This means that a relatively small impact, a piece of metal on a rope against your mast perhaps, dents the timber and cracks the epoxy glass protective coating.
The cracked coating now allows for the ingress of water and other materials, whilst preventing its evaporation. Repair of the cracked epoxy glass coating is a difficult task as it has to be sanded back to the wood. Further due to the physical thickness of the coating achieving a near invisible repair is virtually impossible.
What is Penetrating Epoxy?
Penetrating epoxy is a specific type of epoxy resin designed for use on porous substrates. Penetrating epoxy used on wood penetrates deep into the wood fibers. Unlike surface coatings, which sit on top of the wood, penetrating epoxy seeps into the wood and bonds with the fibres to form a strong, durable, and long-lasting seal. It is widely used to stabilise and strengthen damaged, rotted or decay-prone wood.
A penetrating epoxy sealer is often considered better than a standard epoxy coating because it can deeply penetrate into a material’s pores, creating a stronger bond and providing better protection from within, particularly for porous substrates like wood, rather than just sitting on the surface like a coating does. This makes it ideal for sealing and stabilising damaged or rotted areas while also improving adhesion for subsequent finishes like paint or varnish.
Key differences
Penetration Depth
Penetrating epoxy seeps deep into the material, reaching areas that a surface coating cannot access, which is especially beneficial for repairing damaged wood.
Strength And Stability
By bonding with the wood fibres, a penetrating epoxy can significantly strengthen and stabilise weakened areas, preventing further deterioration.
Adhesion Improvement
A penetrating sealer creates a better base for subsequent coatings to adhere to, preventing peeling and lifting issues.
When To Use A Penetrating Epoxy Sealer
● Improving paint adhesion: Providing a strong base for paint or varnish on wood.
● Wood repair: Sealing rotted or damaged wood before applying a finish.
● Sealing Interior Timber: Complete protection from stains, and a beautiful matt or satin finish are easily obtained.
● Protecting porous surfaces: Sealing porous materials to prevent moisture penetration.
Important considerations
Lower Build-Up
Penetrating epoxy usually creates a far thinner surface layer compared to a standard epoxy coating. A top coat is typically required in exterior environments exposed to UV light.
Application Specifics
Due to its deep penetration ability, proper application techniques are crucial to ensuring even coverage.
Common Applications Of Penetrating Epoxy Sealer
Penetrating epoxy sealer has many applications, including:
Wood
Penetrating wood epoxy sealer can strengthen and repair rotten wood, including rotted wood, window sills, door frames, and deck repair. It can also be used to seal new porous wood and live edges to prevent bubbles or bleed in deep-pour epoxy projects.
Concrete
Penetrating epoxy sealer can be used to seal and protect concrete flooring in livestock pens and facilities and to improve the durability of dusting concrete surfaces.
Marine
Penetrating epoxy sealer can be used to seal boat hulls, decks, and other marine components. Marine premium wood sealer prevents water ingress and maintains structural integrity.
Boat Decking
Teak decks are typically treated with penetrating epoxy sealer to leave a fibrous top surface which is still grippy underfoot when wet. Whilst teak is naturally highly resistant to water, as it ages its porosity increases and wear starts. This technique can enhance the life of expensive teak decking significantly, and is usually begun once the porosity of the teak deck starts to increase due to the combined effects of water and UV light weathering the wood.
Industrial
Penetrating epoxy sealer can be used to protect floors and surfaces from chemical spills, heavy machinery, and abrasion.
Automotive
Penetrating epoxy sealer has been used to extend the life of timbers used in classic cars from Morgans through to vintage Bentleys
Benefits Of Penetrating Epoxy Sealers
Below are several benefits of penetrating epoxy sealers:
Flexes with wood
Our Smiths Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer once cured flexes with wood. This means that it has the ability to not get damaged or cracked as pieces of timber move in use. This is in stark contrast to using epoxy glass coating on timber to provide protection from the elements, where minor impact damage can physically breach the coating and require significant effort to repair.
Strengthens and Stabilises Wood
Penetrating epoxy reinforces the wood fibres, making them stronger and more resistant to damage. It helps prevent further deterioration of the wood and can extend the lifespan of your woodworking projects.
Waterproofs and Protects
Penetrating epoxy creates a waterproof barrier that prevents moisture from penetrating the wood. This is especially beneficial for outdoor woodworking projects, such as decks, fences, and furniture, as it helps protect the wood from rot, decay and insect infestation. Interior projects gain stain protection and typically require no top coat to provide UV protection.
Enhances the Beauty of Wood
Penetrating epoxy can bring out the natural beauty of wood by enhancing both its colour and grain. It adds depth and richness to the wood, giving it a more polished and professional look.
Improves Adhesion
When using penetrating epoxy as a primer or sealer before applying other finishes, it improves the adhesion of the subsequent coats. This ensures that your paint, varnish or stain adheres properly to the wood surface, resulting in a more durable longer lasting finish.
Easy to Use
Penetrating epoxy is easy to apply and requires minimal preparation. It can be brushed, rolled or sprayed onto the wood surface, and it quickly penetrates the wood fibres, creating a strong bond. It will not create runs and it acts as a complete stain blocker as well.
Why Choose Make Wood Good?
Make Wood Good offers high-quality Smiths Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer (CPES), designed to preserve, protect, and restore timber effectively. Choosing us means opting for marine-grade products that ensure your wood remains maintainable, durable, and financially viable.
Our Smiths CPES is the original penetrating epoxy, renowned for its ability to penetrate deep into wood fibres, creating a robust bond that strengthens and stabilises even the most damaged wood. This unique property not only helps in sealing and consolidating timber but also enhances adhesion for subsequent finishes, ensuring a longer-lasting result. As professionals, we believe in doing quality work for the first time that saves time and money in the long run.
Learn more about our products.