Finishing Tips

Natural Weathering

Many people prefer to allow their cedar furniture to "naturally age" outdoors without a stain or finish. Over time the colorful tones of the wood slowly weather to a handsome silver-gray and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised. Left completely natural this silver-gray color will eventually be highlighted by darker streaks formed from the reaction between the cedar resin and the zinc hardware. If the dark streaks are not for you, we suggest using a simple wood sealer as described below.


Wood Sealer

A good wood sealer such as Thompson's Wood Sealer is useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This inhibits the grain from becoming raised, yet allows the natural fading of the wood to a gentle silvery-gray color.


Staining

If you would like to preserve the colorful tones of the freshly sanded cedar, any number of finishes can be used on cedar furniture. The types we recommend are good quality penetrating sealers and transparent or solid exterior stains. There is a wide variety of colors to choose from these days, which makes it easy to match your existing decor. We recommend 2 coats of a semi transparent stain with a UV inhibitor such as Sikkens Cetol 1 (natural) to preserve the handsome look of your furniture. Every 2nd year you should re-apply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain. Wood sealers that contain ultra violet inhibitors can also be used to preserve the fresh tones of the wood.


Paint

Paint will work fine but like on any exterior surface, will begin to flake over time and will eventually need scraping and refinishing. Stain, however, is "breathable" and will not trap moisture, which means no blistering or peeling.


Wood Oil

We do NOT recommend using oil finishes on your outdoor furniture as dust particles in the air will stick to the finish.