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Sunshine and precipitation are hard on wood. Regardless of the kind of wood you choose, you should take measures to protect your projects from repeated exposure to sun and water.
Exterior Oil: we like to recommend exterior oil for projects like patio furniture, adirondack chairs, tables, potting benches, etc. The oil needs to be reapplied once or twice a year, but it’s a nice looking finish that repels water and is very simple to rejuvenate with a fresh coat without stripping the previous coats.
Marine Spar Varnish: this thick clear wood coating is just as suitable for furniture, but it’s mostly used on things like exterior boat trim. This kind of finish can go longer without maintenance (unlike exterior oil). But maintenance on a spar varnish usually means sanding & stripping it off, then re-applying.
Exterior paint: no coating or finish protects wood as long as paint does. The downside is that it hides the warmth and beauty of wood. When that’s not an important factor to you, choose paint.
