# No more oil based finishes for me.



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

After this Adirondack chair is finished, that will be the end of oil based finishes for me. I still have to do the back of the chair too. 
Even though I had the garage door open and a fan blowing on high, I feel light headed and in need of sleep after staining with Cabot Australian Timber oil. 
The color is fine, but the finish is dull so I'm going to have to spar it with some semi-gloss which will defeat the entire purpose of using the Cabot in the first place.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

oil is typically flat. Its about the wood, not the shine, so it depends on taste. (but don't try a spoon full)


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## Milo (Apr 24, 2009)

Try a water based finish. Much less toxic.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Don, at least I didn't pay for it, the Cabot rep was at Lowes and we talked so he gave it to me. I can appreciate that it stains and seals in one coat, but the wrc looks like ultra dry pine after you stain it. And I used two coats of Charles Neil on it too. From now on, wrc just gets spar and no color. 
I'm going to hang a sheet of plywood from the ceiling in the shop and drill screws in it every couple inches so the poke through. Then I can spray Spar on each piece and put it on the ply wood and hoist it up to the ceiling to dry all at once. I really need to stream line this finishing process.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

+1 for waterbornes.
I use wipe on poly occasionally but water borne 99% of the time.


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## ChrisFranklin (May 28, 2012)

I gotta say, I have yet to find a waterborne stain or clear finish that looked good. They all look cloudy and blah to my eye. Anybody got a specific recommendation?

But it's certainly true about toxicity. Russell, were you spraying it? If so, what kind of rig?

I used to work with some crazy painters who would go inside boats and spray linear polyurethane-nasty stuff. These guys would be all suited up in Tyvek, no skin showing at all anywhere, with air piped to their masks from outside, and lots of ventilation as well, and after 15 minutes they'd come out staggering hung over. We only go 'round once-be careful out there.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Chris, I have the lower portion of the Adirondack chair assembled and the back is still in pieces. I brushed the lower part and used a cloth on the back. It looks dull as heck. I plan to spray on some Spar with my HF Chicago sprayer when this dries, which should be sometime tomorrow evening after I get the back on. Nothing comprehensive with the spar, just the surfaces that can be seen to liven them back up a bit.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

Adirondack chair with a dull finish seems appropriate to me. That Cabot Timber Oil looks like a deck finish and was probably intended to be applied in the open air, looks like a blend of linseed, tung and varnish.


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## NiteWalker (May 7, 2011)

Chris, Crystalac super premium is what I use. When applied correctly it doesn't look milky or cloudy at all.
Mind you, some waterbornes look cloudy until they dry.


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## CharlieStanford (May 30, 2012)

All I can say is that if you hate oil wait until the exterior varnish you used starts crazing (they all do at some point no matter how expensive) and you have to strip and refinish. And then you will be on that wagon for as long as you own the chairs.


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## rivergirl (Aug 18, 2010)

For my deck flooring on the front porch and for outside chairs, etc I use CWF clear. It dries super hard, no fumes, holds up really well and is super easy to re-apply. I have not had any luck with Spar- it chips off in just 2 years and makes a real mess. Would not even consider water based for exterior use. CWF cedar color is wayyy to orange for my taste.


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## wormil (Nov 19, 2011)

I would consider making the chairs from a weather resistant wood then oil alone would be fine.


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