Hey woodworkers,
I’m a newbie but have a desire to make a good, beautifully designed recliner for my backyard. I don’t want to buy plastic rubbish like these https://www.reclinerland.com/best-outdoor-recliner/
What is the best varnish/paint for wood that could live through rains for a couple of years and wouldn’t be too toxic?
Thanks!
Replies
I'm a big fan of tung oil for the application you mention. It soaks into the wood and cures rather than sitting on top. If you get pure tung oil it is nontoxic and for hundreds (maybe thousands) of years it was used to seal ships. Thin it 50/50 (I use citrus solvent-also nontoxic) to start. For outside you will want 8-10 coats - but you only have to wait 45-60 minutes between coats. Remember, you should not expose it to sunlight until it is fully cured. That could take up to 30 days. I get both the tung oil and citrus solvent from The Real Milk Paint Company (https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/oils/pure-tung-chinawood/ ) but their products are also available from Amazon. Their website has a lot of information and videos about application. As an added bonus, it's spot repairable. So if it gets damaged you can just spot sand and reapply. You won't need to strip the entire project.
If you want to go the more toxic route and use a polyurethane, be sure to get spar urethane. It has UV inhibitors and stretches a little to prevent cracking. Marine varnish is also a good choice. But like I said, I am a big fan of the tung oil.
What wood specie do you plan to use ?
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