Outdoor wood protection

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WriteON

WriteON

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I bought an inexpensive outdoor table. No idea what kind of wood it is. It's high quality junk. What can I use on it. Was thinking of Teak Oil, Marine Varnish... What's a good protector? Thanks
 
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I'm no expert here, but my limited experience says use something that penetrates into the wood, not something that is a coating. Yes you will have to re-apply something that penetrates, but something that is a coating will begin to peel then you have to deal with that before you re-apply.

Of the two you listed, I would use Teak Oil.
 
agree with @d_bondi , a penetrating oil is the best solution. Apply several coats, fine grit sandpaper between coats and you are sorted. It needs re application ideally once/twice per year
 
Be careful - a lot of outdoor furniture comes from Asia and is made from very dense tropical hardwoods that contain a lot of natural oil, so there can be a problem with finish adhering to them.

After we built out new home and had the deck added, wife picked out a table and set of chairs. She liked the natural reddish-brown color and didn't want the furniture to age to gray, so she insisted that I had to apply a finish to protect the wood, and my mistake was to say 'yes dear'. The store that sold the furniture recommended an oil finish, and that's what I used. Unfortunately, within a couple of years that finish failed and started to peel off. I tried sanding it off, but that was a lot of work and it wasn't possible to completely remove the finish. SWMBO eventually decided that we (read, me) would get of the furniture (and that's another story - disposal of unwanted deck furniture isn't nearly as easy at you might think).

So we replaced it with stuff made from extruded aluminum with either an annodized or power-coated finish. The chairs have a plastic-fabric seat and back. That has worked well - except that the squirrels like to perch on the backs of the chairs and gnaw on the plastic fabric - not only does that destroy the fabric, it also leaves gashes in the finish on the aluminum. We visited the factory that made the furniture to get some replacement fabric, and of course they no longer had the color used in our furniture.
 
I know this is not what you want to hear but for future purchases and maybe for others, there is an answer to today's outdoor furniture problems and Maintenace and wear and tear. That is Amish poly composite materials. These products are the best craftsmanship products around. They withstand all weather conditions, do not fade, and do not need finishing. Wash off with water and soap. can be stored outdoors all year long. My brother has many sets of this type furniture scattered around his house and they look as good today as they were a few years ago when he bought them. yes they are more expensive and they are heavy but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. here are some examples of what is made and all the colors to choose from. By the way the colors are through and through. I highly recommend. Material has a wood grain look. Very stylish.

https://www.snydersfurniture.com/collections/amish-made-outdoor-patio-collections?msclkid=84d64cf7d2ab116f03ee2af17ed4aec0&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=530357528&tw_source=google&utm_campaign=Search - All&utm_content=Amish Furniture&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=amish outdoor furniture
 
d_bondi said:
I'm no expert here, but my limited experience says use something that penetrates into the wood, not something that is a coating. Yes you will have to re-apply something that penetrates, but something that is a coating will begin to peel then you have to deal with that before you re-apply.

Of the two you listed, I would use Teak Oil.
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Understood sealing vs coating. Also..this would be my pick for ease of application. I do not mind re-applying.

Edit… how about Danish Oil. Asking as I have a container on hand.
 
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GaryMGg said:
If you don't mind colir, use an exterior paint OR Cabinet grade paint—which typically has some epoxy in it.
Much more maintenance free.
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This would be my choice, also.

I grew up working in my dad's sailboat biz, and you have to constantly reapply teak oil and other similar products. Also, they don't really protect from sun damage as well as an epoxy based paint.

It all depends on what kind of look you want, what kind of surface you want, and how much maintenance you're willing to do over time.
 
jttheclockman said:
I know this is not what you want to hear but for future purchases and maybe for others, there is an answer to today's outdoor furniture problems and Maintenace and wear and tear. That is Amish poly composite materials. These products are the best craftsmanship products around. They withstand all weather conditions, do not fade, and do not need finishing. Wash off with water and soap. can be stored outdoors all year long. My brother has many sets of this type furniture scattered around his house and they look as good today as they were a few years ago when he bought them. yes they are more expensive and they are heavy but as the old saying goes, you get what you pay for. here are some examples of what is made and all the colors to choose from. By the way the colors are through and through. I highly recommend. Material has a wood grain look. Very stylish.

https://www.snydersfurniture.com/collections/amish-made-outdoor-patio-collections?msclkid=84d64cf7d2ab116f03ee2af17ed4aec0&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=530357528&tw_source=google&utm_campaign=Search - All&utm_content=Amish Furniture&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=bing&utm_term=amish outdoor furniture
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I agree with John. We live less than an hour from Penn Yan, NY which has a large Amish community. After having many sets of deck furniture age and look like crap over the years, we went with an Amish resin set. Going on year 4 and it looks as good as new. It is extremely well made and heavy. I don't have to worry about it going anywhere when the wind picks up.
 
derekdd said:
This would be my choice, also.

I grew up working in my dad's sailboat biz, and you have to constantly reapply teak oil and other similar products. Also, they don't really protect from sun damage as well as an epoxy based paint.

It all depends on what kind of look you want, what kind of surface you want, and how much maintenance you're willing to do over time.
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It's low end wood or I'd put a lot of effort into getting a really nice protective finish.
 
In my opinion the best finish on wood outdoors is a stain that penetrates and also is opaque. The more opaque the better. Oils dry out and if the wood is oily they just reactivate when sit on or heat bears down on them. Danish oil has some poly in it so it is a step up but same rules apply.
 
I tried countless things to put on the outdoor things I have built over the years....the conclusion is that there really is no great solution. I tried spar varnish, multiple outdoor poly's, and outdoor varnish with various twists. None were great, they required a re finish in three years or so after they cracked and were a pain to get off, involving stripper. About 5 years ago, I began to use sapele, which has good outdoor properties, and far less expensive and much better availability than IPE. To finish, I simply brush on a coat or two (I am still experimenting, not sure a second coat gains anything) of Penofin Penetrating Oil. It really pops the grain and is good for about a year or two. I am not a fan of redoing the finish yearly or bi yearly, but this is easy and the alternatives are much more trouble. It appears to work well on pretty much any woods, and a refinish involves a quick 220 sand down, brush on, let it sit in the shop, and put back outside.
I do not consider myself an expert by any means, but I tried various "permanent" finishes for 30 years, and finally came upon this.
Just my .02, but has worked for me so far....
 
moke said:
I tried countless things to put on the outdoor things I have built over the years....the conclusion is that there really is no great solution. I tried spar varnish, multiple outdoor poly's, and outdoor varnish with various twists. None were great, they required a re finish in three years or so after they cracked and were a pain to get off, involving stripper. About 5 years ago, I began to use sapele, which has good outdoor properties, and far less expensive and much better availability than IPE. To finish, I simply brush on a coat or two (I am still experimenting, not sure a second coat gains anything) of Penofin Penetrating Oil. It really pops the grain and is good for about a year or two. I am not a fan of redoing the finish yearly or bi yearly, but this is easy and the alternatives are much more trouble. It appears to work well on pretty much any woods, and a refinish involves a quick 220 sand down, brush on, let it sit in the shop, and put back outside.
I do not consider myself an expert by any means, but I tried various "permanent" finishes for 30 years, and finally came upon this.
Just my .02, but has worked for me so far....
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I used a Penofin Penetrating Oil on a cedar fence years ago (decades) and was very happy with it. Like you said Mike, periodic re-application is necessary but not diffucult.

We're rooting for Caitlin and the Women's Basketball team today in Albany!

Go Hawks!!
 
Thanks David.....it is a lot of fun watching Caitlyn and crew. I was never a girls BB fan until she came along. Now I definitely am, and I think the viewership has gone up greatly since the rise of her and many others like her across the nation. Looking forward to watching Juju Watkins as she enters the Big 10 next year.

I really wish there was a permanent answer to the coating of outside wooden products, but if there is, I have certainly not heard of it, and I have researched it a lot.....I believe this to be a good second choice.
 
d_bondi said:
I used a Penofin Penetrating Oil on a cedar fence years ago (decades) and was very happy with it. Like you said Mike, periodic re-application is necessary but not diffucult.

We're rooting for Caitlin and the Women's Basketball team today in Albany!

Go Hawks!!
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Loved the game. She put on a passing clinic.
 
I have not used that particular item, but I am a big proponent of Cabot Australian Timber Oil (The original Oil - Solvent Cleanup, not the Low VOC version - Water Cleanup). I have used it on a wooden picnic table and wooden benches (cheap 2x4's) and it has held up to Nebraska weather quite well. I did re-apply it after 4 or 5 years though as it started to look a little thin on some of the horizontal surfaces. Considering the track record I had with it, If I were going to go with a clear sealer only, I would certainly consider the Cabot Clear Wood Protector as it is supposed to also penetrate well and provides a UV, mold, mildew and moss resistant finish. (but it does have a lot of 1-star reviews compared with the Timber Oil). - Dave
 
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