# Cedar Playset, should I seal it?



## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

I'm about to start construction of a cedar playset for my kids. The manufacturer recommends sealing it (with their product of course).

Should I seal it? ( i thought with cedar you didn't have to)
should I buy the manufacturer's stuff, or just a high quality wood deck sealant from a local big box?

Thanks much!


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## WoodenDreams (Aug 23, 2018)

With Aromatic Cedar on the Cedar Chests we build, we use a natural wood stain to bring out the color, then use four coats of water base poly for protective coating. Is the play set toys


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## LesB (Dec 21, 2008)

If is is western cedar and used out doors I would apply a sealer. Generic Boiled linseed oil would the least expensive and about as affective as anything else in an outdoor setting. I would apply two coats; the first one diluted 50% with mineral spirits and the second full strength but one coat is ok too. Like a deck surface that is treated it will need to be cleaner and renewed every few years (depending on exposure). 
If you decide not to seal it the surface will turn a grey color eventually and get a nice weathered patina. Even that can be cleaned and renewed with a commercial deck brightener (a bleach compound). 
From my experience (my kids and grandkids) the kids will probably use it for a couple of years and then move on and you will be looking to find a new owner to get it out of the yard.

I noticed there was a response posted just before mine about Aromatic Cedar which is different than the usual Western Red Cedar used for outdoor structures and toys. I would DEFINITELY not use a poly finish on outdoor play sets. In a couple of years it will need to be stripped and re-done and will look terrible.


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

This is an outdoor playset Les. With the linseed approach, Ina few years do you just re-apply another coat, or do you have to strip something?

I absolutely do not want to have to strip anything and would just like to clean and reapply if needed.


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## onoitsmatt (Mar 7, 2015)

I use a sealer and power wash it every three years before reapplying a fresh coat on my kids' swingset. I think I did two coats last time.


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## Snipes (Apr 3, 2012)

Leave it


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

onoismatt, what sealer do you use? How do you apply it?


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## TravisH (Feb 6, 2013)

I just let it age to its natural silvery/gray color and forget about sealing it. Just something else to keep up with in my opinion and the gray isn't bad to look at. It is going to last way longer than your kids will use it and something you likely won't keep after a given age. They don't resell for much around here and most end up being put out in pieces at the curb or free to whoever will come get it.

From my experiences and most I know, really one of those things you end up building to find out it won't likely be used very long but hopefully you have outdoor kids. Mine melt in the sun and evidently may die without some sort of controller in their hand. My kids (three total) only really used it from like ages 3 to 6 and not much during that time period. The raised fort portion on ours ended up being an area for me to dry milled logs as it gets good airflow being raised partially higher than our privacy fence and the "tent" funneling air over it. I had built a playhouse for them also that just became a very large dog house and then got re-purposed to store my smoker, fold-able ladder, chainsaw, etc..


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## BlueRidgeDog (Jan 2, 2019)

I would put a deck sealer on it with a pump sprayer.


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

i agree with lesB id use an oil or stain but as he said dont use a poly,i mistakenly used poly on some adirondack chairs i made for my brother,two years later i saw them and was horrified at how they looked.with oils you just need to clean and apply a fresh coat every few years.penofin is a good brand ive used.


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

> I would put a deck sealer on it with a pump sprayer.
> 
> - BlueRidgeDog


Any need to spray the under part of the deck, or the side of the walls that don't face the sun?


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## jonah (May 15, 2009)

I wouldn't bother sealing it, personally. You have to re-do it every year or two, and the gray color is pretty attractive. Our swingset we got off Craigslist for free and passed it on about three years later to someone else for free when we moved. It was ~8 years old when we got it, never sealed, and it's just fine today.


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## PeteStaehling (May 3, 2015)

I did stuff like that in cypress and let it go silver/gray. Same for outdoor furniture. I'd do the same if doing it again. I'd think cedar would work similarly well with the same lack of finish, but I can get nice cypress here and like working with it so I don't have a lot of experience with cedar.


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

So if i want to maintain the look, seal it,

if not, the cedar wont rot before the kids are out of the house, or the playset is out of my lawn

That's what i'm hearing.


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## PeteStaehling (May 3, 2015)

> i agree with lesB id use an oil or stain but as he said dont use a poly,i mistakenly used poly on some adirondack chairs i made for my brother,two years later i saw them and was horrified at how they looked.with oils you just need to clean and apply a fresh coat every few years.penofin is a good brand ive used.
> 
> - pottz


Yeah, I have varnish on the clear pine seat parts of some iron porch chairs. It looks nice and isn't so bad since it is in the shade and pretty easy to sand and apply a coat or two, but it if it was anything much more difficult to deal with I wouldn't want to bother with the frequent freshening up of the finish. The other outdoor stuff is all thankfully unfinished cypress.


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## PeteStaehling (May 3, 2015)

> So if i want to maintain the look, seal it,
> 
> if not, the cedar wont rot before the kids are out of the house, or the playset is out of my lawn
> 
> ...


Yeah, it really depends on how you feel about the look of silver/gray cedar. Some love it some don't.


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## clin (Sep 3, 2015)

I really like Penofin for outdoor projects. And in fact used that on my kinds play set almost 30 years ago. It's a thin mostly oil with a bit of some sort of resin in it. It is very good at blocking UV. It comes in tints if you want, but also is available in clear. There's a few versions, some more expensive than others. It's not cheap but I think works very well.

You will have to reapply the next year, then every few years after that. This can keep the wood looking pretty darn good indefinitely if you stay up with it. There's no type of oil you can put on that won't need re-application. It's easy to apply. Just get a layer on, let it soak in for 15 minutes or so, then wipe off the excess. I've always brushed it, but no reason you couldn't spray it. But unless this play set is huge, it's probably simpler to just slop it on with a brush.

Beware Penofin, like many oil finishes is prone to spontaneous combustion if you make a pile of oily rags. This is real, I've done it myself. Though this was on purpose to see if it would do it.

Whatever you do, I suggest you apply it to all the pieces before you assemble. That way every bit will have something on it.


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

> So if i want to maintain the look, seal it,
> 
> if not, the cedar wont rot before the kids are out of the house, or the playset is out of my lawn
> 
> ...


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## Zonker (Oct 22, 2018)

I can't speak to the playset, but we had a large pergola built out of Western Red Cedar. It's a 17' x 50' monster, but perfect for our backyard in North Texas. It went up in 2011 and I've sealed it every two to three years since. With the exception of the very top, it has maintained it's color very well. The top has gone almost black, but you don't see that from the ground. You might consider sealing if only to keep the wood from drying out and starting to splinter where little arms and legs can get caught. I use Olympic Maximum clear on the pergola. It was at Lowes but I didn't see it there last time I was in. I hope this helps.


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## steffen707 (Feb 14, 2012)

> I can t speak to the playset, but we had a large pergola built out of Western Red Cedar. It s a 17 x 50 monster, but perfect for our backyard in North Texas. It went up in 2011 and I ve sealed it every two to three years since. With the exception of the very top, it has maintained it s color very well. The top has gone almost black, but you don t see that from the ground. You might consider sealing if only to keep the wood from drying out and starting to splinter where little arms and legs can get caught. I use Olympic Maximum clear on the pergola. It was at Lowes but I didn t see it there last time I was in. I hope this helps.
> 
> - Zonker


Thanks Zonker!


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