Platform coat

[Soule]

I’ve recently built a platform using a sanded fine maple plywood 4x8 to top it off. I’m wondering if its smart to coat this with something? I reckon polyurethane is too slippery.

What are my best options here?

[Oso Rojo]

Poly is likely your only choice. Other options are oil or paint, but that's much less durable and paint covers up the nice maple. You might look into an abrasive you can add into the poly to give more traction. If you have any scrape of the maple left over test it first. My gym has a polyed platform and I've never noticed a problem with slipping.

Adding Sand to Paint for Better Traction - Quick Tips - Bob Vila

[Mark Rippetoe]

Sand gets rubbed off the surface in about a month.

[Soule]

Would you just leave it bare, rip?

[Mark Rippetoe]

The best surface is bare unsanded wood or stall mat rubber.

[Soule]

Alright, i like to live dangerously.

No polyurethane, no facemasks, no condoms.

[AndrewLewis]

Polyurethane is not too slippery if you do it right, but if I were you, I’d take an orbital sander with a 60-80grit sandpaper disk and “unfinish” the wood by doing a very quick pass. This should give it traction that you removed by sanding it.

If you feel the need to protect again moisture (which you probably don’t), use a light coat of linseed oil. Do NOT use a tung oil or danish oil. They are advertised as 100% oils, but this is bullshit. They’re actually a small amount of oil, petroleum distillates to allow it to work, and alkyd polyurethane. They are essentially wiping varnishes, not oils.

Wipe the linseed oil on and immediately wipe off as much as you can. If you do it right, it will basically look and feel like you didn’t do anything - except that the wood will look a little wet. If you leave it on too long, it will feel slippery.

Strip it by sanding it if you don’t like how it turned out.

[Soule]

Thanks Andrew