Finish for Cedar

I made an Adirondack chair from WRC. It looks ok. SWMBO thinks it looks good too.

Stuck it out on the deck and admired it for a while, then my mind moved on to other things. But SWMBO brought my mind back to it. "What are you going to finish it with?"

"Uhm, I like the weathered look that cedar gets after a year or so," was my reply.

"After all that time and effort, not to mention the materials cost, you're going to let it WEATHER?!?"

Sigh.

This is the same woman that sends me out to falling down barns to specifically rip off weathered barn board for her projects. If I come back with wood that isn't weathered, it goes into the fire.

I"m not a guy who attaches great significance to maintenance projects. AAMOF, I'd be more than happy to have Astro turf for my lawn so I didn't have to cut it. Gazing into the future brings me more chairs on the deck that all need to be finished, if I want to keep the butter on the right side of my bread.

So I'm stuck. Let the chair weather and then have to weather another storm, or keep her happy and finish it.

Spar seems to be the thing that most of you recommend. I'm thinking if I can get 3 years out of spar, I may be ok. And I'm probably dreamin in technicolor too.

Any other suggestions?

Thx

Tanus

Reply to
Tanus
Loading thread data ...

I like a product made by the Sikkens company called Cetol. This has lasted better than spa varnish for my use.

I used this for a side light for the front door I made from mahogany. Looks the same as the day it was installed about 3 years ago. This is vertical and does not get much sun, but it gets its fair share of rain and snow exposure.

Cetol needs to be applied carefully. Easier for a chair than a deck.

It is a oil type finish. It contains dyes as well as UV inhibitors so it will darken the wood. Looked great on the mahogany.

Dave Paine.

Reply to
Tyke

Olympic Maximum - Cedar Tint.

It's an oil, nothing to peel or strip later. Apply ONE COAT, sparingly. I spray with an HVLP, and go away for two years. Do not apply more, do not soak the item, etc... as it won't dry. As there is no film, the product leaves a more natural look, the oil protects the color.

The "clear" version does not contain the UV protection contained in the cedar pigment.

Reply to
B A R R Y

Thompson Water Seal or brand of your choice.

Load it in a garden sprayer and hit all the patio furniture in mid-May. Takes about 30 minutes effort and I'm done "maintaining" patio stuff for the year.

It does darken the wood and allows some weathering. Next year hit it with deck wash, let dry and water seal again.

I've never had good luck painting or varnishing outdoor items, cracks and such suck in the water ruining whatever finish I've used. Hours of sanding to refinish the item again is not my idea of fun.

Reply to
BillB

I may be wrong about this but I believe I have read that the best way to prevent outdoor items from weathering is to paint it with regular paint with no tinting. Just the un-tinted "base". It has all the UV protection already in it and dries clear. Don't recall whether latex or oil base is best but you can probably find out using google.

Reply to
Mike in Arkansas

In my case I have tried every things, the best thing is no coating at all. I let the cedar as it is. Every year I wash it with Muphy's soap (or it equilvatent) and light sprayed water. So far after 15 years the cedar is looking fine and in good condition.

>
Reply to
Denis M

I asked this same question about two weeks ago and the response was not to finish at all or to finish with a oil finish like watco primer sealer.I choose to put the oil on ,it darkened the cedar but it looks good .it has the advantage that the finish will slowly erode and not flake off and cause me any more work(I'm like you, after it is finished I do not want to have to maintain it.)

Leonard

Reply to
Leonard Shapiro

I built a sun filter for my parents' patio some 20+ years ago. 1 x 6 and 2 x 4 lattice, extending some 20 x 40 feet on the south side of the house. I dipped the end grain on all cedar in a pail of Penetrol and after I assembled the whole thing, I coated the entire filter in Penetrol once again with a brush. After 5 years, the tips of the beams were still golden as was the rest of the filter.

20 years later, you can still see the tips having a slightly more natural colour than the rest of the lattice. I also coated a cedar adirondac and after 15+ years still looks great. A local doctor, after having seen this sun filter, had his cedar board and batten cottage done entirely with Penetrol. His cottage had already weathered some, but the Penetrol brought it back, rejuvenated, to almost new wood colour. 10 years later he had another application done and still looks wonderful 5 years after that. A tech at Flood, when asked, volunteered just enough info for it all to make sense.... it is really "just highly distilled linseed oil." (You didn't hear this from me. btw.)

Here's a product, marketed as an additive to give oil-based paint 'legs' and yet it has a secret life as well..... and you know I wouldn't shit you, Tanus, because you know where I live. LOL

r
Reply to
Robatoy

Hehe, I don't really. I know the town you live in and was there last week, but I'd be hard pressed to sit at the end of your driveway to let you know if you steered me wrong. Academic, however. I know you wouldn't.

I'll try the Penetrol if I can find it. I did a mini-search yesterday and couldn't find a distributor but I'll do some phoning around today. Where I live, the local suppliers actually close on Sundays. What I did find was Cetol, recommended by David Paine, and that may be my backup.

BARRY, BillB, Mike, Denis and Leonard all took the time to answer my question and gave me more food for thought. Thanks guys.

Tanus

Reply to
Tanus

Thanks Upscale. I'd tried that, but ended up with only NY state distributors within 100 mi. of Ottawa. They also mentioned Home Hardware (that's the one closed on Sundays). I'lll give them a shout today.

Tanus

Reply to
Tanus

formatting link

Reply to
Upscale

"Tanus" wrote

Just look for the small groups of gnomes carrying counter tops.

Reply to
Lee Michaels

They all quit and are now working for Travelocity. I DO have a 200 pound 6'4" Scotsman who would like to have a word with you. And two crazies on dirt bikes who haven't figured out that they're mortal like the rest of us. And if the four of us can't handle you, there's always Angela.

Reply to
Robatoy

She sounds lovely. However, she's been married to you for a bit, so i expect she can also chew me up and spit me out without breaking a drop of perspiration.

I found the Pentrol. Home Hardware can order it in for me, and I'll give it a try.

It poured last nite. The lake came up so high that part of my dock is floating. When I got up, the chair was soaked and had a wonderful sheen to it. I doubt that the Pentrol will look like that once it's dry but now that I'm coming round to it, I think I like having the cedar look for some time to come. Thanks for the tip.

Tanus

Reply to
Tanus

HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.