Aboglass™ Turns 2000 Year Old Wood Into Art
Illustration of Pecky Cypress
Nature can be an inspiring muse. What some might overlook can give others the enthusiasm to create. When Marco Caporaso found a large slab of 2000+ year old pecky cypress, he saw a beautiful tabletop residing within the ancient wood.
Overhead View of Table
Pecky cypress is known by the telltale holes left over the years by wood-boring insects. These voids give the wood a distinctive look, but rob it of structural strength. The cypress hardwood in this condition is quite fragile, and can be snapped with your bare hands. To make the tabletop that Marco envisioned, he would need to regenerate the strength of the wood, and do so in a way that would enhance its existing beauty. This was done using Aboglass™, a clear, high impact and wear resistant epoxy resin.
Before applying the Aboglass, the wood was cleaned and sanded to bring out the detail of the grain. After wiping the table down, the first coating of Aboglass was brushed on to what would be the bottom of the table, filling surface cavities and reinforcing the wood. After the Aboglass hardened, a second coating was added to further strengthen and seal the underside of the table top. This layer not only sealed and strengthened the wood, it also created a suitable platform for attaching the reclaimed steel table legs.
Table Legs Attached
With the bottom of the pecky cypress table complete, it was time to reinforce and consolidate the top with Aboglass. When the second seal coat was applied, Marco intentionally left space in the deeper groves and pockets, which was made possible by the self-leveling nature of the resin. To give the table the striking look he had envisioned, Marco mixed a color tint into the Aboglass, giving it an alluring pale blue hue that was a stark contrast to the natural beauty of the wood.
After the tinted layer hardened, it was sanded level with the rest of the tabletop. A final seal coat of Aboglass was applied. This provided additional strength, water and impact resistance, and a radiant gloss finish. The pecky cypress table will provide beauty and function for years to come.
The Finished Pecky Cypress Table
For more information about Aboglass, please visit the webpage here.
