Cornhole Toss (birch plywood) Finish?

Question

I'm making the boards for cornhole toss, and I need to know the best way (besides paint) to finish the boards. As of now, I want to put a prestain conditioner on, and then just a satin topcoat. The question I have is, will this be a strong enough finish for this type of application? Also, will this type of finish be too slick for the boards?

Or, do you have any other suggestions for finishing birch plywood, all while keeping the natural color of the grain show through.

OH! I also plan on putting a large decal right in the center. I'm pretty sure this should go on after the finish, but does anyone have any suggestions regarding this?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Seal it........and finish it..............shellac and lacquer......they make brushing lacquer.  If you have quite a few to do.......shoot them with a cheap 10.00 gun.......Seal it....can be a sand and sealer or shellac........sooooooooooo have fun.

Answer 2

pre-stain conditioner has a different purpose and really wouldnt gain you anything. it is used so that stain seeps into wood more evenly decreasing color variation. a sanding sealer would be a better choice. multiple layers of poly on top. spar varnish would be better for 'weather conditions'. multiple coats of poly OVER the decal would protect it from damage. you could also topcoat with pourable clear epoxy: would let the bags slide a little better.

Hope that helps. Good Luck!

Answer 3

If you are looking to put a good finish on your wood use a clear coat made for the floor. That way you can have the look you want with the wood with the protection you want. Any brand will do with what you are trying to do. As for your sticker you can put it on last or you can put it on before you put your coat of clear on. If you put 5 to 8 coats then your sticker will last longer being under the clear.

Answer 4

Check out the Cornhole forum at http://www.TossingGames.com for answers.