Most of the things you can do to it won't really affect durability, aside from things like the Hazing and cracking I've seen occur ONLY IN THE FINISH when some really thick shalaq type stuff was used.
Its just a little harder to prep than wood, since it does absorb somewhat, but not nearly how wood does.
I'll be coating mine with Raptor liner, so I'll have Urea-covered-recycled-plastic-faux-wood....making my faux bed.
