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Decoupage Finishes for Commercial Use - Part Two

Dear Eileen,

I am helping to open up a sports bar.

I have some old wooden table tops - and by some I mean 15 round and square - and also a bar top - a long bar top!!

To my point at hand - I would like to decoupage them all with cutouts of sports pictures.

I have been reading though your information online and it has been helpful, but I need large amounts of the seal coating - not sure of the name - I need that information too.

But my real concern is if someone sets a glass of any type of drink on it and/or spills one, will it stain or leave marks?

Please and thank you for any help before I go though all this work only to have it ruined because I didn't finish it properly.

Elizabeth

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Read part one, Two Part Epoxy Finishes for Decoupage.

Hardwood Floor Finishes for Decoupage

Professional floor finishers tell me that the water-based urethane products they use for floors are also good for bar and table tops. These won’t give the super thickness of an epoxy and you’ll need to be extra careful not to scratch your decoupage images when you sand between coats.

Interestingly, none of the experts recommended oil-based polyurethane, which has long been the do-it-yourselfer’s product of choice for floors. Comments I got were, “not as durable”, “not easily repairable” and “brittle and tends to peel under heavy use”.

1. The better water-based urethanes contain less acrylic and more urethane. Like the epoxies, they require a hardener to maximize hardness and durability.

The catalyst, Aziradine, is sold separately in 2 oz. bottles, which is the amount required per gallon of urethane. The mixing is easier than for two-part epoxies. Prior to application, pour the catalyst into the gallon container. Replace the top and gently invert six to ten times. Do not shake vigorously as this will cause foaming.

Look for McCloskey GymSeal (hey, if it’s tough enough for gym floors …).

Be sure to test for ink bleed and transparency as I mentioned earlier and protect your decoupage images by pre-sealing if necessary.

Work in a well-ventilated area and keep it as dust-free as possible. The temperature should be at least 65 degrees for proper curing. Seventy is better. Use a lambs wool applicator pre-rinsed in mineral spirits to lay a nice self-leveling coat of finish.

Allow one day for drying between coats. Do two coats before sanding to protect your decoupage images as much as possible. Sand very lightly with 220 grit sandpaper.

Renting or borrowing an electric disk sander will save a lot of elbow grease and time. Wipe down the surface after each sanding with mineral spirits. Let cure for at least a week.

2. Or you might like to check out Dura Seal 1000, the first 100% urethane finish. Nice thing about it is you don’t need to mix in a catalyst for maximum hardness. You do however need to seal with Dura Seal’s acrylic primer first.

I couldn’t find anyone who has actually used this product yet, but it sounds good. Only three hours drying time is required between coats. Full cure takes at least a week. Here is more information about Dura Seal 1000.

3. Finally, if you want to preserve the look of the wood (rather than have the appearance of a plastic coating), use a conversion varnish formulated for heavily used surfaces – like Campbell’s 550 Duravar Plus Catalyzed Varnish.

The catalyst, again sold separately, is Campbell 550 Activator (6.4 oz. per gallon). Duravar is sprayed on and is self-sealing (requires no prime coat). A light (scuff) sanding between coats is recommended. Three coats is the max.

Cured varnish is softer and less resistant to scuffs and scratches than an epoxy or urethane finish; but it served well in bars and restaurants all the hundreds of years before those products were developed.

Each of the above products will cover about 400 square feet per gallon.

Polyurethane Finishes

I touched on polyurethane finishes briefly above, but let me finish the topic with a quote from my favorite resource book on decoupage, Durwin’s Rice’s New Decoupage.

Durwin gives step-by-step instructions for decoupaging a coffee table and a dining room table, so you might think that polyurethane would meet your needs in the sports bar.

However, in his chapter on finishing Durwin says, “Think of your polyurethane piece as you think of a wood coffee table. Use coasters with it, clean up spills, and wipe the piece dry; never let water or any liquid sit directly on the finish … If you don’t treat your coffee table that well, give this book to a friend and become an ice-hockey player.”

If you don’t think the sports fan customers would treat your decoupage bar top and tables as respectfully as they would the coffee table in your living room, don’t even consider polyurethane!

For more on decoupage, visit The Decoupage Index Page.

Read part one, Two Part Epoxy Finishes for Decoupage.

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Recommended Reading

These books are excellent resources for decoupeurs. Not only do you get tips and techniques, but also artwork that you can use in your own projects.

New Decoupage: Transforming Your Home With Paper, Glue, and Scissors By: Durwin Rice The Victorian Scrap Gallery: A Collection of over 500 Full-Color Victorian-Era Images By: Dee Davis Absolute Beginner's Decoupage: The Simple Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Beautiful Decoupage By: Alison Jenkins Collage Discovery Workshop: Make Your Own Collage Creations Using Vintage Photos, Found Objects and Ephemera By: Claudine Hellmuth 930 Matchbook Advertising Cuts of the Twenties and Thirties (Pictorial Archive Series) By: Trina Robbins Decoupage: A Practical Guide to the Art of Decorating Surfaces with Paper Cutouts By: Dee Davis

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