Woodnet Forums

One last query to soothe my conscience:

I made trivets/hot plates out of poplar for Christmas presents . I wanted to seal them so they don't soil. I asked several woodworkers and carvers if it would be safe to finish them with a poly finish, or if they would be damaged by hot plates and dishes. Everyone said they should be okay. Before they get sent off to the North Pole Express, I thought I would ask one last time. I suspect they will be okay but looking for a final consensus from the folks he.

They have 2 or 3 coats of PolyShades wipe-on to get the color I wanted, and 2 or 3 more coats of Arm-R-Seal top-coat.

Sorry, having trouble sending trivet photo from Picasa. Don't know what the trouble is.

If "hot" is somewhere north of 140º or so, I believe you will have problems.

These test results suggest they should be OK.

John

Depends on how hot the pot or item is when you put it on the trivet. The link above helps. Let the finish completely cure before you put it to use.

Here's your pic:

John's tests show that Arm-R-Seal will not be a problem with normal cooking temperatures and methods. However the PolyShades may get warm enough to degrade even under the topcoat. With a few exceptions dishes brought to the table will be <220F, the exceptions are not that uncommon though. e.g. roasting pans, skillets for fajitas etc., or hot wok cooking¹.

¹ An uncommon technique where the wok and oil are heated very hot the ingredients are dumped in, distributed and then finish cooking as the wok is carried to the table.

Thanks for all the input. I'm breathing a lot easier now. I finished all the trivets and let them sit for 4-5 days to cure. Yesterday I placed a hot iron on one of them with a single sheet of typing paper in between the wood and the iron. Ran the iron through the range of heat levels and no apparent changes in the finish, no soft spots, no finish transferred to the paper although the paper started to scorch at the highest setting (approaching Fahrenheit 451?). Now trying it in real situations at the dinner table. I think all the work is now worth it. Score "+1" for Santa's workshop this year.

And also for Arm-R-Seal. The more I use it, the more I like it.