What's the most slippery thing I can polish wood with?

Evening all.

I'm building a play area, and the next phase currently nearing completion features a wooden slide. I've got all the framework in place nice and solid, and have got some 6mm ply to put on for the actual slide bit.

I'm sure I've asked this before, and got some answers, but I can't find it. What's the best thing to put on the ply so that it is protected from the weather, and so that it remains nice and slippy?

My dad reckons yacht varnish, but he also suggested maybe I research how french polishing is done. Ideas please

 

Olive oil .... ?

 

I just asked Willow what the most slippery thing you could put on a wooden slide would be, she immediatly replied "Eels"

 

get an HDPE strip cut to order .... cheap, and slippery and attach that to the wooden slide

http://www.directplasticsonline.co.uk/HDPE_Sheet.html

 

I think dim is right, cant think of anything that is likely to remain slippery over a long period that can be applied to wood.
Polyurethane might work but it would be an ongoing thing applying it and shining it up before use.
Would steer clear of yacht varnish Takes days to dry and not particularly weather proof.
I wouldn't paint my yacht with it.

French polish, (shellac) is only for internal use and rarely used these days for anything other than antiques.

 

I repeat, Olive Oil ...

 

How about a luge?

 

When I was a kid we used candle wax on the slide in the playground, it was a proper slide, way up to a hut at the top, and then the slide down.
Metal slide of course, but always went home with a black bum on my jeans due to the wax.

 

Clueless, are you sure that 6mm ply is up to the job? Not trying to put a dampner on it, but 6mm may be way to thin. It would also need to be marine ply if it is going to withstand outside use. From bitter experience, I can also say that splinters from plyboard are very nasty. The wound gets infected very easily, and the ply it self is very hard to remove.
I'll try and think up something cost free for you that may be a better long term solution.

 

be careful on making it too slippery. i poured some water down my little lads plastic slide as he wasn't sliding down it (too dry) and he flew down it that fast that he ended up about 6 feet from it with grass burns on his bum and back. (he cried for quite a bit, but eventually seen the funny side) the wife went ape though!

 

Oh my goodness, isn't life difficult now ... ... how did we manage before getting scrapes and bumps and all the rest with a few tears here and there ... but of course H&S took over the UK ...

 

Thanks all.

If I go with the HDPE option, would I just stick that onto the ply?

Eddie, the ply sheets won't really be taking much strain because my plan was that they'd just be the surface. I've built a good solid structure for them to sit on top of, and as I always do (because I'm slight paranoid about things collapsing) I've gone for what I think is probably overkill on the structure. However I totally take on board your comment about it splintering, that would be a nightmare. I might put the ply to some other use instead.

 

Sheet of brass? (That's what the slide in the park had, and as pete said, candle wax)

 

What if I was to use that lightweight polycarbonate stuff? You know the sort, like estate agent's 'for sale' signs are made of.

It just so happens that I still have the 'for sale' sign from when I bought our house. Its been in the garden for the past 2 years and I've just had a look, its still strong and undamaged, and relatively slidey. I can't use that because its far too short but I could order a bigger piece of the same material.