Hi,
I have a question regarding stains and finishes. What type of stain is best for outdoor furniture such as adirondak chairs and window boxes? I was going to use waterbased translucent stain but couldn’t find any. So I opted to buy MiniWax natural pine stain. Don’t know why I didn’t read the instructions when I was at the hardware store. But it suggests you use a wood conditioner before applying the stain. Is that absolutely necessary? And then it said to apply 2 coats of varnish over the stain. That seems like a lot of work for an outdoor planter/window box. Besides I’m anxious to get my planter potted up. So I took the lazy way out and decided to use a deck stain instead because I was afraid I’d ruining the look of my planter. I think the green will bring out the colour of the flowers better. Do most people use varathane/polyurethane on outdoor furniture? I’ve only used oil paint and deck stain.
Wanda
Replies
Hello Wanda,
I'm probably not the best person to answer this question because I don't do much exterior finishing. However I'll try to tell you what might help since no one else has answered you.
Conditioner applied before a stain will keep the color from staining too dark and control the discoloring associated with some woods. Therefore if you want a lighter color use the conditioner.
For the finish use something labeled "for out door use". A gel varnish is an easy choice if your finishing experience is limited. There are Poly's, boat finishes, and high performance exterior oils. Might I recommend a hard finish like poly or varnish.
Good Luck,
SA
Wanda - a good exterior paint is your best choice. After that, a stain designed for exterior use, combined with it's exterior finish is an alternative (though scheduled maintenance will be required). Sikkens for example, makes some good quality stains and finishes for exterior use.
Stains and finishes designed for interior use will not last long outside (weeks). And a number of brands of exterior finishes won't last very long either (months). For best performance, stick with the brands that have done well in tests by Consumer Reports.
Paul
On another board a recommended outdoor finish is the base from which colors are mixed. It is clear and apparently an excellent finish in and of itself. You ask for the base of exterior paint.Gretchen
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