Finishing Outdoor Furniture or Wood with an Outdoor Varnish

Finishing Outdoor Furniture or Wood with an Outdoor Varnish 

Outdoor varnishes, including marine finishes, have a lot of UV absorbers in them to withstand radiation from the sun. They’re also designed to be more elastic to cope with the expansion and contraction of the wood. This movement of the wood is caused by heat and cold, as well as by the wood taking in moisture during periods of high humidity and releasing the same moisture during periods of low humidity.

Planning to finish that brand-new outdoor furniture you just built with an outdoor finish? Take note of what some members of the boatbuilding community do – seal or encapsulate the wood with an epoxy undercoat like System Three Clear Coat or a penetrating epoxy. One coat is good, but two or three are better. This will prevent the wood from breathing and mitigate the effects of changes in temperature, as well as provide an excellent base for the outdoor finish.

Outdoor finishes don’t last forever. Even following the suggestion above won’t prevent the eventual need to sand or strip and recoat, but it will keep your finish looking better for a much longer time.