Wipe on

LarryandSusanMacDonald · #1 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

I am trying a new product and wonder if anyone has had experience with it.

Petri makes it. It's called "Gel PolyFinish" Micro-Tropic Polyurethane - Satin Interior/Exterior.

It features: No brush application (it wipes on with a rag); No mess; easy cleanup. Two hours between coats, three or four coats recommended.

My question is: A year from now, am I going to be sorry I used it? I've seen it used on interior and it's okay, but I've never seen it on exterior. If anyone used this stuff a year or so ago could you tell me how well it holds up. And if it's as easy to maintain as it seems.

Thanks for your input.

jackytdunaway · #2 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

Are you usuing it on the interior or exterior. It sounds easy so i am waiting to hear if others have also. i am all about easy but many times it just sounds that way

sailaway21 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

I've not used the product but am skeptical of using polyurethane products on the exterior. My experience has shown rapid degrading by UV light results. Sounds like it might be a good interior product though.

LarryandSusanMacDonald · #4 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

UV deterioration is also what I'm concerned about - but I'm using it on the exterior, to answer your question. And it is easy. I varnish boats for a living and when I get home I really don't feel like varnishing any more. So I cover all the faded gray teak on my deck with canvas and hope everybody thinks I'm just protecting a bristol varnish job!

BTW, I'm in the middle of my hard bimini project that I wrote about last spring. So far it's working out pretty well. I'll report on it (with progress pix) when I get it done and looking spiffy!

Freesail99 · #5 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

From all that I have ever read varnish holds up much better then polyurethane products in exterior applications.

sailaway21 · #6 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

Quote:

Originally Posted by LarryandSusanMacDonald

UV deterioration is also what I'm concerned about - but I'm using it on the exterior, to answer your question. And it is easy. I varnish boats for a living and when I get home I really don't feel like varnishing any more. So I cover all the faded gray teak on my deck with canvas and hope everybody thinks I'm just protecting a bristol varnish job!

BTW, I'm in the middle of my hard bimini project that I wrote about last spring. So far it's working out pretty well. I'll report on it (with progress pix) when I get it done and looking spiffy!

Did you mean interior?

LarryandSusanMacDonald · #7 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

Nope, I meant Exterior. The package says Interior/Exterior. And it also says UV protection.

We'll see. You're probably right that varnish will hold up longer. But 2 coats of sealer and six coats of varnish to begin with and then maintenance coats every six months or year is more than I want to fuss with. And I can't afford to hire someone like me to do it.

If this stuff will last a few months and I can just wipe on another coat and go back to my rum drinking I'll be a happy sailor.

Like I said, we'll see. If nobody else has experience with the stuff, I'll just have to be the guinea pig. I'll let everybody know next spring, after the autumn sun and the winter have had their way with it. And if it makes it through the summer - wow, there IS a god!

Freesail99 · #8 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

Quote:

If this stuff will last a few months and I can just wipe on another coat and go back to my rum drinking I'll be a happy sailor.

Isn't that where varnish excels also, a light sanding and re-apply. I am not sure you can do that with Polyurethane. Wipe or brush on.

T37SOLARE · #9 (**permalink**) 10-11-2008

Never seen or heard of a Polyurethane that can actually survive in a marine exterior environment. My feelings are if their was one everyone would be all over it. Caveat emperor comes to mind.

On the other hand, I'm looking for a good INTERIOR satin finish, and this might just fit the bill. What's you experience with it as an interior finish?

soulesailor · #10 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008

I've used wipe-on poly many times. I've found it's good for touching up existing poly surfaces that have been scratched for some reason or another. The wipe-on is very thin and more or less wipes right off the existing poly coats but remains in the crack, adhering to the scratch like it had been sanded by a one grit shoe sole.

I tried to coat some new wood with the wipe on, hoping to build up layers, but it just didn't seem to work nearly as well as brushing on poly in the normal manner. However, I wasn't using the same exact product you named.