 | | | Home : Is Finishing Needed? | | Is Finishing Needed?
No, it's a matter of personal preference and appeal.
Below are some tips for helping you decide what type of finish to apply
or...not apply to your all natural indoor/outdoor cedar furniture.
IF... you do decide to apply a finish, be sure your furniture is clean and dry beforehand. Thereafter, you will need to re-apply your finish once every year or so in order to maintain that same appearance. Otherwise you can simply let nature take over its natural weathering process and gradually transform your cedar furniture into a silvery-gray sheen.
Natural Weathering
Because of the inherent nature of Western Red Cedar to withstand the outdoor elements such as decay, rot, and insects, your cedar furniture really does not need to be finished. Cedar is renowned world-wide for its unique weather-resistant properties. Although White Cedar possesses much of the same cell properties of western red cedar, (which makes them both the desired woods for outdoor use), it contains much less of the natural acidic tannins that help to preserve western red cedar. Therefore white cedar will not last quite as long as western red cedar wood.
Many folks prefer to allow their cedar furniture to "age naturally" outdoors without any finish at all. Over time the color will weather to a handsome silver-grey highlighted by darker streaks, and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised.
Wood Sealer
If you go this route you may find a wood sealer to be useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This inhibits the grain from becoming raised yet allowing the natural fading to a gentle silvery-gray color.
Water Seal Wood Protector
For protection that helps enhance and maintain wood's "natural" color, Thompson's® Water Seal® Clear Wood Protector gives you beautiful protection against damage from water and sun and also provides a mildew resistant coating. Its oil-enriched formula provides long-lasting protection. Great for pet house exterior. (Wood must be clean and dry prior to application. Not recommended for application over previously painted or stained wood.)
Stain
If you would like to preserve the freshly sanded cedar with some added color, we recommended that you use stain with a UV inhibitor such as Sikkins. Nowadays there are a full spectrum of solid or transparent color stains available on the market. Every second year you might re-apply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain. Stain is "breathable" and will not trap the moisture, therefore - no blistering, no peeling.
Wood Oil
An alternative to using stain is to rub a light coat of teak oil or linseed oil over the finished surfaces of your furniture. This gives a rich deep appearance to the wood.
Paint
Well dried cedar wood accepts paint fine but not recommended, unless the piece is located in a sheltered area where there is little or no moisture and no direct sunlight. Over time, sun shining on the furniture will cause any moisture within its fibers to be released as evaporate. On a sealed finish the pressure of the evaporate will cause the finish to blister and peel leaving you with a mess to sand down and re-finish. If you want to paint the cedar wood to match surrounding structures, use an oil base breathable variety. Check with your local paint store for recommendations and advice on proper surface preparation.
Ground Applications
Western Red Cedar should be preservative treated if intended for use in applications where it is dug into the ground. i.e. Fence Posts or Landscape Ties.
|
| | |
|
