Finishing cedar outdoor bench

[adowden]

I am making a rustic eastern red cedar half log style bench for my neighbor. She doesn't want the natural look, so I am trying Marine spar varnish. The bench is a half log for the seat and a half log for the back. The cut surfaces have been sanded to 180. Can I only finish the cut surfaces to help maintain the heartwood / sapwood colors or do I need to finish the outside of the log too? The outside of the log has a decent amount of rot and some green stuff growing on it.

Thanks,
Amy

 

[CrealBilly]

I am making a rustic eastern red cedar half log style bench for my neighbor. She doesn't want the natural look, so I am trying Marine spar varnish. The bench is a half log for the seat and a half log for the back. The cut surfaces have been sanded to 180. Can I only finish the cut surfaces to help maintain the heartwood / sapwood colors or do I need to finish the outside of the log too? The outside of the log has a decent amount of rot and some green stuff growing on it.

Thanks,
Amy

I heard from a professional paint man - that just Base 2 exterior latex paint (with no pigment mixed in) is a great clear paint for outdoor stuff. He also said, it protects the wood against UV rays, color fading and provides mildew resistance. Furthermore he also said it looks all cloudy in the can but dries clear. I never tried it myself, so I can not say it's true or not but I thought I would pass the information along, hoping someone with paint experience would chime in with some facts.

Thanks

 

[Scott Meek]

No matter what finish you use, if she doesn't want it to look "natural" it will need to have it reapplied every couple years or so.


Scott

 

[Jeff]

If you opt for marine spar varnish DO NOT buy the junk at the local BORGs. Epifanes is the gold standard in this category and you'll get what you paid for.

http://www.jamestowndistributors.co...id=92&familyName=Epifanes+Gloss+Clear+Varnish

It is really good stuff. :icon_cheers It's pretty thick right out of the can, but thinning it 1:1 or 2:1 with mineral spirits makes it manageable for brushing, but you'll need more coats.

You could consider cleaning up the outside of the log with a wire wheel mounted in a plug-in drill to at least remove some of the crud, but not so much that you lose the rustic look. Then coat all surfaces with the varnish.