End coatings

[QWeaver]

I remember from a woodworking class back in the 60s that at one time ethylene glycol (antifreeze)was used to prevent checking in the end grain of fresh sawn lumber. I have been using it on poplar that I have been sawing all summer and it seem to work OK, but I still get some cracking, especially in one inch boards, and wonder what the best/economical/readily available product is. I can buy antifreeze anywhere but I'll have to order and wait on shipping for another product. TIA QL

[no(SPAM)vasys]

AnchorSeal from U. C. Coatings.

[Andy Dingley]

Poly (*) glycols of high molecular weight. Polyethylene glycol or increasingly polypropylene glycol. Monomer glycols (e.g. antifreeze) are useless.

Secondly this is an immobile substitute for water, not an end sealer. If you just want to seal the end grain to reduce drying speed then use something mor eimpermeable instead. Best is probably an emulsified wax like Endseal or Anchorseal.

[vdubbs]

Go to one of the Borgs and buy miss mixed latex paint, $5 per gallon or less. This stuff can be used for loads of things that you don't care what the color is.

[butch burton]

FWIW - antifreeze is very nasty stuff to have around - animals will lick it cause it tastes sweet - destroys their nervous system - gets into drinking water when filtering through the earth. May take a few years but this stuff is bad news. Worked on a project building a schooner in Milwaukee - our mast stock was coated with a heavy wax like substance which was very similiar to paraffin - worked well apparently.

[Roger King]

I use a mix of parafin and turpentine (paint thinner). heat and mix, thin enough to brush on while warm, and let it set. I have several cedar planks that I sealed this way and got no checking at all.

[Andy Dingley]

That's a good warning. There are propylene glycol antifreezes though that are much safer for this, rather than the ethylene glycols.

[JGS]

[Joe Brophy]

I have had good luck using a liquid made of mineral spirits or turpentine with parafin wax disolved in it by heating. The parafin will stay disolved in the solvent even after cooling. When the mix is painted on the end cut the solvent evaporates leaving a parafin seal. I have used up to a 60/40 mix of solvent/parafin with good results. Obviously be very careful when heatng the mixture as it is flammable.