Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Sanitary sealing surface for Picnic table.

Hi, I am building an octagon picnic table from 5/4" x 6" treated pine decking boards that will have boiled seafood dumped upon it. I intend to put a ship lap the boards of the table together so that there will be no leaks. Since I wish to avoid the boiled seafood juices permeating the picnic table so that a week later it would require burning (LOL), I intend to seal it. I intend to put a trim piece that will serve as a lip around the table, which will be approximately 1/4 inch above the table top. I was intending to pour fiberglass clear finish resin on the table, and fill it for the 1/4" so that it will be flush once poured. What I am concerned about is that I wish to have a sanitary surface that will be clear, so as not to hide the beauty of the wood, yet be able to withstand the temperatures of hot boiled seafood. Is there anything out there, besides the Polyurethanes, that will provide such a protection and still remain sanitary. I worry about the fact that hot boiled seafood can mar some sealers by making them cloudy, or become soft. I am hesitant about Polyurethane, even with UV protectors in it, because I have witnessed it peel and buckle just from the effects of being outside in the sun. I really want a durable, sanitary surface that will remain clear no matter what is thrown on it. I have seen this surface on some bars, and on tables in some Louisiana Restaraunts. :confused: Can anyone please give advice here???

the only sealer i have ever seen on bars, etc over wood is polyurethane varnish. sometimes you see resturants with really thick poly over what looks like old ships boards or something like that. it may not even be poly urethane but some kind of plastic.

for what you are planing, i don't think there is a reasonable way to seal treated lumber. for this application, i might choose cedar and then use something like fiberglass resin to make it water tight.

in addition to the seafood permeating the wood, i'd also be worried about the copper and alkalyne in ACQ transferring from the wood to your seafood jambalaya. I didn't really think the old CCA was dangerous, but then I wouldn't have eaten a board either. While arsenic isn't really good for you, neither is copper. It's a heavy metal and not unlike lead.

i use copper coating on the bottom of my boat and there are all kinds of precautions for not getting dust from sanding an old copper bottom boat into the ground water or breathing the stuff.

The stuff you want isn't made anymore. Bullseye used to make a urethane coating that would stand up to alcohol, cigarettes, etc. Do look at using a spar urethane, though I don't know about the boiling water test.

OK, the boiling water test is also what I was concerned about. As far as picking up toxins from the treated wood, with what I had anticipated as 1/4" thick layer of Clear Fiberglass finish resin, would seem to me to more than adequately insulate anything on top of it from any CCA, Arsenic, copper, or alkaline, would you not think??? So, Polyurethane seems so weak to me, from what I have seen of it when exposed to the elements outside for 4 - 5 years. I guess I was using the logic that if it works on surfboards quite well, and that clear coat seems to last pretty good, I would hope to chance it. If there is no other choice than Clear Fiberglass finish resin (without the fiberglass matting, just the resin and hardener), and urethane, or spar urethane, there must not be much out there. If there is ANY other choice, please tell me so that I can read up on it. Thanks for the replies!!!

Look into VanEx-640 or VanAqua-485. The same manufacturer produces clear ceramic coatings (not intended for wood, but it's a thought).