Exterior Wood Finish

[TheCabinetmaker]

I am looking for a clear or semi-transparent exterior wood finish for outdoor furniture (Cedar and black Locust). I would like something that will hold up for 100's of years but will settle for 4-5, as long that it is easy to recoat. Has anyone had any success stories?

[jteneyck]

I am looking for a clear or semi-transparent exterior wood finish for outdoor furniture (Cedar and black Locust). I would like something that will hold up for 100's of years but will settle for 4-5, as long that it is easy to recoat. Has anyone had any success stories?

Ha, let us know when you find that product.  I've gotten 3 years from Epifanes, on a black locust bench BTW, but it takes 7 coats the first time.  Rehabbing it is no fun at all either if you let it go to the point that it cracks or peels.  

I recently made a bench with red mulberry and used a product called One Time to finish it.  I have hopes it will last 4 or 5 years but ....  What I do know works is to cover the furniture when not in use.  I have a fitted cover on the black locust bench and have had no more problems with it.    

John

[cputnam]

Tint base from any good paint co. Dries clear and affords the same UV protections as paint.

[jcredding]

I’ve used the tint base paint on outdoor furniture as well and while it goes on milky it dries clear. Used it on adirondack and it lasted 3 years before I had to take it apart and refinish. It was exposed the entire time. Also, I let it go too long which is why I had to take them apart and strip, then refinish.

[Willyou]

I did my own test a while beck using an oil based tint base. I put 3 coats on all sides of a cedar board. It failed miserably in just over a year with full exposure. It flaked, pealed, and the wood turned grey. The interesting part is that I added some color tint to the tint base for 1/2 of the board and it held up well. So much for UV protection in the tint base. Of course, this is only one brand and others could be better or worse.

[jteneyck]

You need the #4 tint base from SW's A-100, for example.  It has a good UV package w/o added pigments.  Many paints rely on UV protection from the pigments so, without those pigments, they don't do well.  This is no different than low quality exterior varnishes.  If you put Helmsman Spar varnish, for example, up against Epifanes you'll see the difference in a year or less.  Surprising to me, Winter seems worse than the other three seasons on finish deterioration where I live in WNY.  

John

[Joel H.]

You need the #4 tint base from SW's A-100, for example.  It has a good UV package w/o added pigments.  Many paints rely on UV protection from the pigments so, without those pigments, they don't do well.  This is no different than low quality exterior varnishes.  If you put Helmsman Spar varnish, for example, up against Epifanes you'll see the difference in a year or less.  Surprising to me, Winter seems worse than the other three seasons on finish deterioration where I live in WNY.  

John

Slight hi-jack here.  Do you think Epifanes will hold up better on a cypress gate?  It's on the north side of a house that sees very little direct sunlight.  Also I was thinking of putting a "salad bowl finish" on the endgrain - top & bottom.

Joel

[jteneyck]

Slight hi-jack here.  Do you think Epifanes will hold up better on a cypress gate?  It's on the north side of a house that sees very little direct sunlight.  Also I was thinking of putting a "salad bowl finish" on the endgrain - top & bottom.

Joel

Hold up better than what, Joel?  Personally, I would let cypress just age as it wants to, and clean it with deck cleaner/brightener if you want the wood to look new again.  But if you want to put a film finish on it then, yes, Epifanes should last several years on the north side of a house.  Seal the end grain with epoxy sealer rather than salad bowl finish, however.  In fact, you can seal the whole thing with epoxy sealer and then apply Epifanes for the longest lasting finish.  

You can have a perpetually new looking finish if you follow Epifanes' recommendation and apply at least one new maintenance coat every year.  I imagine some boat owners manage to do that, but I never could.  

John

[Joel H.]

Hold up better than what, Joel?  Personally, I would let cypress just age as it wants to, and clean it with deck cleaner/brightener if you want the wood to look new again.  But if you want to put a film finish on it then, yes, Epifanes should last several years on the north side of a house.  Seal the end grain with epoxy sealer rather than salad bowl finish, however.  In fact, you can seal the whole thing with epoxy sealer and then apply Epifanes for the longest lasting finish.  

You can have a perpetually new looking finish if you follow Epifanes' recommendation and apply at least one new maintenance coat every year.  I imagine some boat owners manage to do that, but I never could.  

John

Thanks John, think I'll go with the natural (non-finish) method.  Sounds much easier & probably better.

Joel