Plywood Exterior Finish Extended Durability Testing

[schaney]

After six years out in the weather, I have retired my Durabak test panel.



As a recap, the test panel was a piece of bare 9mm marine grade Okoume plywood. Only the top was coated. It was then positioned horizontally in full sun outside. Over the last 6 years it has seen low 20’s – low 100’s, 220+ inches of Oregon rain, snow for weeks at a time, many freeze-thaw cycles and baked in the sun.

I’m happy to report the Durabak has held up fine with only minor fading. Because I didn’t coat the whole panel, some rot has developed, but not under the Durabak. You can poke at the edges and get no sign of lifting.

I’m assuming with a good scrubbing and a coat of 303 Protectant the panel would easily be good for many more years. As discussed before, aging of your compact camping trailer’s finished if stored indoors is some what like dog years. One year of full weather exposure on a finish, is roughly equal to the exposure a trailer stored indoors would see in 5-7 years.

So conservatively, a Durabak coated compact plywood camping trailer stored indoors would have a finish life expectance of 25+ years. Stay tuned for information on a new House Paint finish test panel.

[rowerwet]

I used glidden porch and floor paint and canvas to cover my tear. the paint fills and glues the canvas to the plywood, and the canvas keeps the paint from being scratched or dented.
I had to peel some of the canvas back when I was modifying the trailer, the paint took the top layer of plywood with the canvas.
The canvas makes the paint layer so thick it takes a drill or screw to get through it to the wood.
compared to what you guys are spending to cover a trailer, I have a cheap finish that has stood up to New England weather just fine.

[schaney]

That is part of what is great about home-built trailer, having it "your way" ... there isn't any right or wrong answers as long as it hold together going down the road and stays dry inside.