What to coat inside of wooden canopy with?

[tutmatt3]

Hey Guys!

So I took on the project of building a wooden canopy to replace my stock plastic one.
My main question is what should I coat the inside with to withstand water splashes?

I'm also planning on painting it black. How long do you think I should let it sit before installing on the tank?

Nothing fancy, just a cheap 2x1" frame with a plywood exterior.

Thanks!

 

[spinycheek]

I would give it a few coats of urethane. Avoid the outdoor rated stuff as it has pesticides incorporated in it. Indoor urethane should hold up pretty well since it's really just a kind of plastic. Sand the wood down really smooth, like 320 grit before coating. Sand and re-coat then buff it with a paper bag. That should give you a really nice smooth finish that is easy to wipe down. I've never built my own canopy, but I've done this on my kid's furniture and it's held up really well to extreme abuse including water/juice spills, cat vomit, shoes, etc.

Let it air for a week before putting on tank.

 

[tutmatt3]

Thanks for that. I'll give it a look into!
I've done some woodwork, but very little coating. Just an animation table I made some time ago.

Do you recommend any type of spray that will require minimal sanding? Going to send the pieces before joining together, but it might be a bit of a pain getting a nice smooth perfect finish on the frame

Thanks!

 

[Tom Blevins]

Marine paint & chrome bubblewrap to reflect all the light.

 

[PJS]

You can use Drylock primer. I used 3 coats of Drylock on the inside of the stand before painting over it with the top coat color. It seals very well.

 

[mcarroll]

I used oil-base for the interior and whatever I wanted for the exterior.

 

[spinycheek]

Do you recommend any type of spray that will require minimal sanding? Going to send the pieces before joining together, but it might be a bit of a pain getting a nice smooth perfect finish on the frame

Thanks!

I personally never have used the sprays, mainly because I like to really slather the urethane on, but I see what you're saying about the sanding it once it's assembled. I think it's easier to get a smooth coat if you brush it on with a foam brush and let it settle, that way you won't get the splattery/rough effect like spray paint leaves.

Marine paint & chrome bubblewrap to reflect all the light.

A reflective color I agree is a good option. I didn't go with foil, but I noticed that after painting my old canopy white inside, it really brightened up the tank.

 

[tutmatt3]

I personally never have used the sprays, mainly because I like to really slather the urethane on, but I see what you're saying about the sanding it once it's assembled. I think it's easier to get a smooth coat if you brush it on with a foam brush and let it settle, that way you won't get the splattery/rough effect like spray paint leaves.



A reflective color I agree is a good option. I didn't go with foil, but I noticed that after painting my old canopy white inside, it really brightened up the tank.

Ok for sure. Maybe I'll keep it simple & use a urethane then. Shouldn't be too big an issue to brush.
I'm not too concerned if it's rough, since it's the interior =)

 

[cromag27]

General finishes enduro clear poly is what myself, and a lot of other pros use.

 

[SteveSTL]

Spar varnish. It's a long oil (short resin) product made for ships, boats, exterior stuff, that is subjected to heat, water, saltwater - your exact environment. It does not contain any fungicides, mildecides, pesticides or anything ide. Just resin, oil and a carrier.

 

[v10king]

I used boat paint in white, worked awesome for inside of my stand and light canopy when I had one.

 

[tutmatt3]

Awesome thanks guys! I'll def look into it!

 

[wowkingjames]

Thanks for the info.