Try and buy oil-based polyurethane in Los Angeles County!

[Hugh R]

You can't do it. They have banned the sale, and import, of real polyurethane as far as I can tell. Anything you buy has to have less than 100 grams of VOC/liter, meaning water-based. The water-based does not seem to work worth a crap on outdoor furniture. I may have to pickup a gallon of the good stuff next time I travel and ship it to myself. Anyone have any suggestions where in LA to get the good stuff? I could become a bootlegger of wood finishes.

I'm all for clean air, in fact, I was an air pollution consultant for over 20 years, but this is really going pretty far. Especially when what would make sense, if anything, would be to prohibit its use during smog season, meaning the summer.

I put this in PARF because it was government regulators who did this.

[sammyg2]

I got a quote recently from a painting company to paint my house.

I asked about the warranty, he said 3 years.
I said why only 3 years?
He said the used to offer a 10 year warranty, but because of the enviro-tard law makers in Kalifornia the paint nowadays sucks so bad they can only offer a 3 year warranty and even that's pushing it.

[Hugh R]

I used a water-based urethane on an outdoor bench and the finish was completely gone in a month. I think I'll talk to some of my set painting friends. They don't even seem to offer it in pints or quarts, I looked at HD and Loews, nothing.

[944Larry]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

You can't do it. They have banned the sale, and import, of real polyurethane as far as I can tell. Anything you buy has to have less than 100 grams of VOC/liter, meaning water-based. The water-based does not seem to work worth a crap on outdoor furniture. I may have to pickup a gallon of the good stuff next time I travel and ship it to myself. Anyone have any suggestions where in LA to get the good stuff? I could become a bootlegger of wood finishes.

I'm all for clean air, in fact, I was an air pollution consultant for over 20 years, but this is really going pretty far. Especially when what would make sense, if anything, would be to prohibit its use during smog season, meaning the summer.

I put this in PARF because it was government regulators who did this.

Hugh-sounds like you need to move over here with us! We need some more good people in Florida.

[RWebb]

acrylic

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I can get the good stuff here and ship it if you want - might get kind of expensive though (heavy plus has to be shipped as hazmat)

[Hugh R]

I'm not sure about "acrylic" I think it works fine on say a kitchen cabinet, but not outdoors in the CA sun. I find the oil-based stuff would last a few seasons. P-O-P that is the rub. I can buy a $20 gallon but it would cost too much to ship. Don't think I can put it in my checked baggage when I travel either. I'm going camping at Carpinteria State Beach (Ventura County) next weekend. They have similar air regs at LA, but different. I'll look at a HD there. If that doesn't work, I'll check with Fed Ex ground.

[RWebb]

go to a paint store ( a real one, not a Home Despot) and ask them what is best -- also ask if the best thing he mentions will be as good as the polyurethane that you can't get now

see what they tell you

[red-beard]

Are the Hardware store in Jean, NV?

[9dreizig]

PSSST HEY HUGH,, I've got the good stuff up here in NV,, I can meet you halfway sometime..Let me know what you need.. Seriously I'm in Fresno pretty often, I can get it down to you from there if you want to meet.

[RoninLB]

polyurethane may not be the best for some on outdoor furniture

maybe try West Marine web site and sniff around

Z-Spar has a nice rich tint and doesn't look like plastic

[Heel n Toe]

Hugh, I've heard this stuff is really good:

Bond Distributing - One TIME WOOD

FAQ:
http://www.onetimewood.com/faqs.aspx

[Hugh R]

Looks like great stuff, I didn't see that they sell it in Los Angeles County. At <2.2% VOC, that is around 220 grams per liter, or so, the limit in LA is <100 grams/liter.

[Joe Bob]

They used to have a one liter container exemption.....hmmmm, draconian.

[Hugh R]

Apparently the one liter exemption went away. Called Mark's Paints, the No.1 paint supplier to the Industry, he says nothing but water-based is allowed in LA anymore, says he has some "pretty good" stuff. I may wait until I travel out of state. Shipping by Fed Ex ground is legal for certain sizes and packaging.

[red-beard]

Originally Posted by Hugh R

Looks like great stuff, I didn't see that they sell it in Los Angeles County. At <2.2% VOC, that is around 220 grams per liter, or so, the limit in LA is <100 grams/liter.

It would depend on the density. Water has a density of 1000grams/liter. Most of those stains, etc, do not. At 2.2% VOC, it would need to be about 450 grams/liter.

Polyurethane - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

It looks like the s.g. of most Poly Urathanes are greater than 1...

hard cheese

[Joe Bob]

It's not just LA County, South Coast AQMD regulates the surrounding 4 counties and the adjacent ones north and south tend to follow them.

There's been a scaled in cut back on VOCs built into the existing rules. So the bouahaha has settled. I'm in NV and they are selling crappy water based stripper out here, now.

[Hugh R]

Yeah James you are right. 450 g/L would be the good stuff.

[911pcars]

Perhaps a short trip to Ventura county might do it.

It's not as far as Nevada or Utah, but they might have better stuff.

Boy, this is like buying illegal fireworks. Will state marshalls monitor your movement across state lines too?

S

[Joe Bob]

Santa Barbara and Ventura have the same rules....