Outdoor Furniture

I would definitely put something on the exposed endgrain. If it is getting a lot of water exposure you may want to find a cup or something to put the leg in and let it soak the finish up. As for a finish product I have used a product called One7 and had great results. It is gaurenteed to stand up to all kinds of weather for a minimum of 7 years. Its made for decks, but It works great on outdoor furniture. It is pricey tho….

-- Steve-o

Any finish for decks is a great finish for outdoor furniture. I also believe that if you set the legs on something small that you can move slightly like a dowel, the legs can actually absorb the finish in the cup better. After a while shift the dowel so the finish gets that spot too.

-- Berta in NC

I used spar varnish on mine but instead of soaking the feet I just gave them a little more attention. Then for extra security I tacked on little whatchamacallits (vinal supports for the bottoms on chair legs) to keep them raised slightly off the ground so now the wood never contacts the patio surface.

Waterlox and general Finish both make an exterior oil..Waterlox is called marine..and from experience..i can tell you they work exceptionally well ..and hold up in tough conditions…use 4 or 5 coats and soak the feet real well until they quit absorbing the oil…

I used deck sealer for mine, 100% waterproof and looks nice! I thought about using some epoxy or something of the sort for the endgrain on the legs.

I use a product called Stays Clear. It’s expensive, but it works great. You can pick it up at most Benjamin Moore stores.

-- Betsy - GO BUCKS!

if you can find a small container of it, CWF. it usually comes in 5 gallon cans. the exterior of my parents house is red cedar, and all my dad has ever put on it is CWF. It’s 15 years old and still the same color as the day it was put on. But i’ve never seen it in a gallon can.

-- Joey, Magee, Ms http://woodnwaresms.com

Thanks all. I’ve seen tips regarding end grain on outdoor furniture. The best idea (seemingly) was to use four paper picnic style bowls filled with the finish of choice. They placed a dowel (as Berta mentioned, too) to lift the leg off the bottom of the bowl to better allow the leg to absorb the finish. They said wait a couple hours, flip the piece upside down and wipe away the extra.

I’ve also seen many people use epoxy or the high end colored wax that hardwood dealers use to seal ends of boards.

-- Jeff, South Carolina