Heat Test Results on EnduroVar, etc.

[jteneyck]

OK, I was on a role this afternoon, and did some heat testing like I did a year or two ago. I took coffee mugs and heated them to 350F in the oven, and then placed them on specimens of EnduroVar, Enduro Clear Poly, and ACE Hardware oil based polyurethane. I did the same testing on Arm-R-Seal, GF's High Perf. Poly, and GF's Gel Urethane Topcoat a couple of years ago, and those results are shown in the photos below:



Arm-R-Seal:


High Perf. Poly:


Gel Urethane Topcoat:


As you can hopefully see, the Arm-R-Seal was unaffected, but both the High Perf. Poly and Gel Urethane Topcoat were damaged by the hot coffee mug.

OK, today's test results after a 350F mug had sat for 10 minutes:

Enduro Clear Poly:


ACE oil based polyurethane:


EnduroVar:


I saw no damage to any of the three specimens. You can see a slight ring where the mug had sat on the specimen. I almost looks like the heat caused the wood to shrink, like the ring is depressed into the wood, but it could just be an optical effect. In any case, there was no physical damage.

Thinking I might get some damage if I flipped the mugs over so that the glazed edge was in contact with the finish, I repeated the testing but the results were the same.

EnduroVar, Enduro Clear Poly, Arm-R-Seal, and ACE oil based polyurethane showed no damage from coffee mugs heated to 350F and placed on cured specimens. However, High Perf. Poly and Gel Urethane Topcoat both were damaged.

John

[Steve Friedman]

Thanks again John,

For kitchen table tops, this is the one that I think about the most. Abrasion is important, but I'm not sure anything is going to resist scratches if someone drags a cast iron pot across the table or pokes a fudge into it. But hot cups happen daily.

Thanks also for turning me on to Arm-R-Seal. My go to finish for virtually every indoor horizontal surface. And some vertical ones as well.

Steve

[Jerry White]

Another good one, John. Thanks.

[Howard Acheson]

John, Good tests. Thanks for sharing.

I have question: Did you apply any under finish to the sample pieces before you applied the test finishes? Such as BLO, Shellac? Or, did you wax the surfaces afterwards?

[jteneyck]

Hi Howard,

The Enduro Clear Poly had SW's BAC Wiping Stain under it, the EnduroVar had Transtint dye in water under it, and the HP Poly and Urethane Gel Topcoat had a shellac toner under them. The oil based poly had nothing under it, and none of the specimens were waxed or otherwise treated after the clear coats were applied. All of them had cured for at least a few weeks; some were months or even more than a year old.

John

[barryvabeach]

John, thanks for the tests. FWW used to run some a few years ago, but it has been a while since I have seen any head to head testing of products I use.

[Richard D.]

Thanks John. I look forward to seeing JR1 post these results as first hand.