# Exterior Finish .. Ya Gotta Read This !



## Charles Neil (Jan 24, 2014)

I have been looking at getting a cabin up in WVA ... any way I was talking to the owner and I noted the how nice the exterior looked, he explained his dad had some "secret finish". When his dad passed away , they were cleaning out his shop and found mountains of McDonalds coffee cups, and gallons of lacquer thinner . He ask him mom about the cups, and she said the dad , melted them in something and used it for a finish. The dad made some sort of wooden molds as a living and used the finish. I put 2 and 2 together , this is a past from another thread where I wrote about it .. you might get a kick out of it .. Definately different .
Dissolve styrofoam in some lacquer thinner , you can put 5 gallons of styrofoam in a quart can , if you want, I would guess about 2 gallons of “peanuts” to a qt would be a good ratio .. And use it as an exterior finish . I have done it and tested it , I happen to know where there is a cabin in WVA. that has white pine siding that has stood for over 45 years with nothing else done to it, the old guy some how had gotten mountains of McDonalds coffee cups and dissolved them and used them for the finish. It looks perfect. If ya think about it ,it makes perfect sense .. Styrofoam never seems to deteriorate .. It dries perfectly clear . There are different forms of it out there and the lacquer thinner doesnt dissolve them all, but a little shot of acetone or MEK will get it done . I did some 1/4 plywood, threw it out side and actually forgot about it, it got rained on, froze, 100 degree heat , and everything else for a little over a year, it did nothing . I realize this isnt a practical finish , but it was quite interesting and thought I would share.

Reactions: Way Cool 1 | Informative 5


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## Mike1950 (Jan 24, 2014)

The cups would be made out of EPS- expanded polystyrene and yes lacquer thinner melts it fast. never heard of using it as finish- interesting. Might want to test flammability before you used much of it!!

Reactions: Like 3 | Agree 1


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## Charles Neil (Jan 24, 2014)

I agree on the flammability , how ever wouldn't think it any worse than any solvent based finish , they are all basically all a form of plastic .


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## Kevin (Jan 24, 2014)

Pretty wild. He may not have had access to McDonalds coffee cups 45 years ago but we know he had access to EPS because it was invented in the early 40s. I bet he started using the McCrack cups long after he had the process perfected. Very cool stuff!

Where about in WV y'all looking. My wife and I honeymooned on a mountain top in a sure enough haunted cabin and loved every minute of it. The nearest towns were Thomas and Davis. That's near where the SW corner of PA juts into West by God Virginny . . . .


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## Charles Neil (Jan 24, 2014)

Is in the Brandywine area ..We leased it , for a hunting/finishing camp , get away thing Got a great lake , lots of Bass, Crappie, Catfish , Turtles , Wanna come visit ... its VERY secluded ..


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## Kevin (Jan 24, 2014)

Yes we do. We're taking a road trip to GA to visit Steve Cross sometime between mid March and May we haven't figured out. Then back through FLA - isn't WV on the way or just a little off our path?


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## Charles Neil (Jan 24, 2014)

not far , just a little out of the way ... Shooting turtles , should be an olympic event in my opinion..

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Mike Jones (Jan 24, 2014)

Very interesting! Kind of a MacGyver bit of info too! I played handball with a man who told me that he and another young chemist "invented" styrofoam quite by accident. After they had made a batch or two they realized it's potential...but had a hard time selling the bosses on it!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Mike1950 (Jan 24, 2014)

Mike Jones said:


> Very interesting! Kind of a MacGyver bit of info too! I played handball with a man who told me that he and another young chemist "invented" styrofoam quite by accident. After they had made a batch or two they realized it's potential...but had a hard time selling the bosses on it!




My understanding also- they hit it with steam and poof it grows. If you go to an EPS plant it is hard to believe the little pile of granules that grows into a 4'x4'x8' block- then it is "green" foam that has to dry for I think 30 days to where it is 2% per cubic foot. The foam we used was I think 1.2 lbs per cubic ft- not much water left in it.


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## Strider (Nov 7, 2014)

Might you post a photo of the styro finish? I've dealt with nitro-thinner and styro, but for cooler purposes...well, hotter, that is :D


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## Strider (Feb 4, 2015)

Curiosity got me good. Nitro thinner, two PS cups...and a random, very porous and light wood which I can't recognize. 


 Simply place the thinner in a cup and add a cup...wait, what? :D



It fizzles, it bubbles, it melts!



It becomes ever more gel-like


 (the coke color is due to the dirt of the added piece of styro- the cups weren't enough)


 Aaannnnd it's done. Gell like, the solution won't melt any more foam.


 Adding the first, thin coat.

 After second coat, it was drying during the night and rain outside. Yet it managed to dry. It was still a bit soft and had the thinner odor, but it is dry now. It is a nice coat. I'll run some tests soon- waterresistance, added weight, sun exposure, sanding and finishing qualities, absorption into the wood, and, of course, flamability test.
Don't mind the dirty specs, the piece fell over due to wind, while wet, and caught dirt.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Great Post 1 | Way Cool 4


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## thrainson (Feb 12, 2015)

Any idea if it protects from uv deterioration?


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## Strider (Feb 12, 2015)

It's is one of many tests on the list 8) I guess it does, but knowing plastics- not forever!


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## Kevin (Feb 12, 2015)

Loris that's awesome. I used to melt styrafoam in gas to make a poor man's napalm. My dad really tanned my ass with a belt for almost setting the garage on fire one time and I haven't played around with it much since then lol. Never thought about using it for a finish.


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## Aurora North (Mar 30, 2015)

Now that's interesting... Wouldn't have ever thought that melted styrofoam could be used as a clear coat. I've only ever made napalm out of the stuff. Neat-o


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## Tony (Mar 30, 2015)

That is extremely interesting! I'm curious to see how Loris' tests go. @Kevin, I did the same thing when I was a kid, caught our quail coop on fire. Got a tanned ass too

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Molokai (Mar 31, 2015)

maybe we should call it Tanned ass finish, copyrighted by me, i thought of it first.(split profit with @Kevin )

Loris, great job. I have seen the piece in person and its kind of soft, but durable. Has it hardened since, @Strider

Reactions: Funny 2


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## Strider (Mar 31, 2015)

Sure did, hard as a rock. I deliberately chose this random, soft wood with big pores. Coated parts are harder to scratch, significantly. I am yet to test UV decompositiojm, waterproofness etc. Until summer comes, it will tumble in ma jacket pocket with keys, folder, and other goodies.

Reactions: Like 1


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## thrainson (Mar 31, 2015)

Thanks for the update... Really interested in this product.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Hawker 1 (Apr 7, 2015)

I have lots of styrofoam ,just unpacked my new Ricon 14 band saw that sears had on sale couple weeks ago. Would this work on wood decking ? Tired of retreatment every summer with water seal or would it make like an ice rink?


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## thrainson (Apr 7, 2015)

That really depends on the uv protection rating of the solution... My guess is that it will be about 2 years maybe 3 before it fails.


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## ripjack13 (Apr 7, 2015)

Hawker 1 said:


> I have lots of styrofoam ,just unpacked my new Ricon 14 band saw that sears had on sale couple weeks ago. Would this work on wood decking ? Tired of retreatment every summer with water seal or would it make like an ice rink?



My neighbor did his deck 3 years ago with this stuff, 
http://www.homedepot.com/s/rustoleum+10x?NCNI-5
and hasn't had any trouble with it. and it's in the elements up here in CT and no roof on it either....still looks good.


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## Patrude (Apr 7, 2015)

Man oh man, that's the best idea I've seen in a long time.


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## thrainson (Apr 7, 2015)

It does have its down sides too... ( I work with a deck staining company).


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## Strider (Apr 7, 2015)

Well, since your porch can't wait for my test to find out wheter it would survive the tremendous amounts of exposure to UV radiation during the period of a couple of years...I guess, from logic point of view, the outer, surface layer would flake and wear out but the part apsorbed in the wood would stay impregnated and keep protecting the wood. I hope so! Might I be wrong? I reckon this test will last quite a bit haha


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## robert flynt (Apr 7, 2015)

Tony said:


> That is extremely interesting! I'm curious to see how Loris' tests go. @Kevin, I did the same thing when I was a kid, caught our quail coop on fire. Got a tanned ass too


You two were distructive younguns. Me, I never would do any thing like that!!!

Reactions: Funny 3


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## Charles Neil (Apr 8, 2015)

yea , ya just had to try it,  , me too , have never done anything large with it, just the test, but I was at the cabin last week, and it still looks fine. 40 some odd years later ...


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## Aurora North (Apr 8, 2015)

I have some styrofoam from a package that has been the bane of my trash can's existence... You know the type... Huge blocks that just fill the entire thing up. I'm going to have to melt those suckers down in a turkey pot and use it on something. 

I'm thinking the outdoor work table that is constantly exposed to New Jersey weather (100% humidity/ thunderstorm summers and single digit snow/ice winters) would be a fine experiment.

Reactions: Like 2 | Funny 1


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