Solid Cedar Chair protection

Actually I would go with a spar varnish it will cover and protect the wood for a better out of doors finish I used to make these chairs in sets as a kit and sold hundreds of them when times were good not so good now but they do hold up Ours were made out of rough sawn redwood 4/4 think stock they were wonderful chairs I might mill the wood a bit heavier if i were using cedar . these chairs are a blast to make and to modify into several matching peices we made a double wide with a fixed table and a rocker and on and on these are a load of fun to play with and to pay for new tools for the shop.

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

I’m looking for as natural finish as possible. Will spar varnish appear or FEEL plastic-y like poly?

-- Eric

Check out this http://www.penofin.com/faqs.shtml

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

No it wont but see for your self buy a small can and apply it if the choice is splintering or peel off or a bit thicker of a finish which would you choose.

Topa those last few had me ROFLMAO I do hope that was a joke page cause if it was serious how the hell are they going to sell it now

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

Actualy the only finishes that are natural so to speak are not going to save this lovely grain IMHO. I think no one wants to tell you cause they know what you want may not exist but lets say you use water based Thompson water seal like for a deck did you know thousands of people get redness from it when it has prolonged contact with the skin . My answer was based on 43 years of woodworking experience and I don’t give advise that I wont take as solid spar varnish is a varnish it is used on boats so you can see the lovely grain and it wont need re-sanding every 2 years and a re application. It is not perfect but, i think that your trying to preserve a piece of wood you expect to fail .and this is the best way to do that IMHO

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

Ok now I have your attention here is a great third party story from the fine folks at FWW they dont have an embed feature on their share it link but here it is for you. oh when they say marine varnish it is the same thing ok! http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/13849/the-ultimate-outdoor-finish

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

They make some stuff called Log-on that has 99% UV protection.

-- "some old things are lovely, warm still with life ... of the forgotten men who made them." - D.H. Lawrence Wake Up America!! Please read; http://www.commondreams.org/view/2009/01/26-0

I’ve been making Adirondack furniture here in Nevada for 5 years. What has worked here is a base coat of Cabot’s Timber oil thinned about 25% with mineral spirits (let it cure real well) then 3 coats of spar varnish. One of my first customers had me re-finish their chairs after 5 years in this environment. It holds up well.

-- "Courage is being scared to death -- but saddling up anyway."

thanks for the second on the spar varnish Don I know it works I have used it for years I use danish oil or sam maloof oil and spar varnish it works great

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech

Advice for appling spar with HVLP?

-- Eric

I spray with the Earlex 5000 with the 2mm tip. I thin the spar a little maybe 10%. You can spray full strengh with no problems though.

-- "Courage is being scared to death -- but saddling up anyway."

I use Helmsman spar urathane, it is UV protection and goes on nice. I just use a sponge brush or natural. Look at my projects, the cedar adirondack rocker has about two coats on it. as well as the planter i just put on a few days ago. Hope that helps

-- The College Woodworker

I settled on Varathane oil based satin spar. Hoping for raw wood appearance with little or no shine. Tomorrow I plan to shoot the first coat with HVLP before assembly to catch all the edges. Coats 2 and 3 will go on after assembly.

-- Eric

I used spar varnish with UV protection on a cedar Adirondack chair three years ago and it’s holding up well in central Pennsylvania moisture. The varnish imparts an amber tint that deepens nicely with each coat.

-- Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance. --Kevin in Happy Valley

Way to go Eric. I cant wait to see your chairs, be sure to link them in to this thread when you put them up as a project so i will be sure to see them. I have used Varathane before and it worked well you should be just fine.

-- when I am not on Lumberjocks I am on @ http://thisoldworkshop.com where we allow free speech