Best clear coat in the sun
October 7, 2022 10:24 PM Subscribe
What clear coat will stand up best in the Arizona sun to protect my Adirondack chairs?
We have some Adirondack chairs that I put together from kits and then sanded and put polyurethane on 12 years ago. It was probably the cheapest polyurethane I could get because the chairs were cheap to begin with and I wasn’t even sure that they’d stay together. Well, 12 years later they’re still structurally sound and were clearly a great deal. They spent their first 11 years on shaded porches in MA, but now after one year getting at least half a day of full sun every day, the polyurethane just seems gone. The wood is dull and matte and seems unprotected so I plan to do a cleanup and sanding and reseal. Should I just expect to have to do this every year, or are there particular polyurethanes (or other wood sealants) that will hold up better? I see some that promise to have UV protection so I’m certainly willing to spend a little bit more this time around, but is one kind better than the rest in your experience? Should I be looking to use some coating that isn’t polyurethane ?
We kind of like the wood look, so not so interested in painting but if you have strong beliefs that paint would hold up better that would be interesting to know.
Also all of the backyard sees sun at least part of the day so there’s no protecting these chairs in shade.
We have some Adirondack chairs that I put together from kits and then sanded and put polyurethane on 12 years ago. It was probably the cheapest polyurethane I could get because the chairs were cheap to begin with and I wasn’t even sure that they’d stay together. Well, 12 years later they’re still structurally sound and were clearly a great deal. They spent their first 11 years on shaded porches in MA, but now after one year getting at least half a day of full sun every day, the polyurethane just seems gone. The wood is dull and matte and seems unprotected so I plan to do a cleanup and sanding and reseal. Should I just expect to have to do this every year, or are there particular polyurethanes (or other wood sealants) that will hold up better? I see some that promise to have UV protection so I’m certainly willing to spend a little bit more this time around, but is one kind better than the rest in your experience? Should I be looking to use some coating that isn’t polyurethane ?
We kind of like the wood look, so not so interested in painting but if you have strong beliefs that paint would hold up better that would be interesting to know.
Also all of the backyard sees sun at least part of the day so there’s no protecting these chairs in shade.
Best answer: I once did an entire picnic table and benches using a spar varnish, and it held up quite well over years and years of weather and use.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:46 AM on October 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by Thorzdad at 5:46 AM on October 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Desert sun is unbelievably harsh. I'd be surprised if you could find a coating type clear finish that will last long. I'm not sure you could reasonably expect any wood product to last long there unless it's pretty regularly maintained and replenished. Spar varnishes are probably the most outdoor durable. If I were to go that route, I'd be sure to use an oil based version, and do the first coat or two thinned with an appropriate thinner to allow it to penetrate as much as possible. Subsequent thin coats, allowed to cure in between, should be ok.
For any varnish, I'd go oil based. Anecdotally, oil based varnishes seem to be most durable. Unfortunately, they're disappearing in favor of much less smelly and easier to apply water based varnishes.
Drying oils like boiled linseed oil or pure tung oil can keep wood from deteriorating in a satisfactory way, but they seem to offer little protection from discoloring. They can take many, many coats to provide satisfaction, and stuff like pure tung oil, while probably one of the best of the drying oils, can take forever to cure between coats. Like many days.
Some commercial products like Thompson water seal might be a possibility. I used some on an old wood fence that was grey and dry and beginning to get punky, it really seemed to offer a good deal of restoration and longevity. I applied with a paint roller. It just soaked in and took a few coats. I've never used it on furniture, but it might be ok.
Drying oils don't build up coating very easily. Few have the patience to even try. But they do offer protection from the degrading effects of the elements and are easy to replenish.
Paint might actually be good for providing protection, but it obscures any natural wood. I don't know what kind of exterior wood paints are good, but last time I looked, they all seemed latex water based. They probably last pretty well as long as you apply well.
posted by 2N2222 at 11:21 AM on October 8, 2022
For any varnish, I'd go oil based. Anecdotally, oil based varnishes seem to be most durable. Unfortunately, they're disappearing in favor of much less smelly and easier to apply water based varnishes.
Drying oils like boiled linseed oil or pure tung oil can keep wood from deteriorating in a satisfactory way, but they seem to offer little protection from discoloring. They can take many, many coats to provide satisfaction, and stuff like pure tung oil, while probably one of the best of the drying oils, can take forever to cure between coats. Like many days.
Some commercial products like Thompson water seal might be a possibility. I used some on an old wood fence that was grey and dry and beginning to get punky, it really seemed to offer a good deal of restoration and longevity. I applied with a paint roller. It just soaked in and took a few coats. I've never used it on furniture, but it might be ok.
Drying oils don't build up coating very easily. Few have the patience to even try. But they do offer protection from the degrading effects of the elements and are easy to replenish.
Paint might actually be good for providing protection, but it obscures any natural wood. I don't know what kind of exterior wood paints are good, but last time I looked, they all seemed latex water based. They probably last pretty well as long as you apply well.
posted by 2N2222 at 11:21 AM on October 8, 2022
Best answer: Spar varnish will last from a year to 5 years depending on climate or usage. In the mid-Atlantic states, three years. In Florida, 1 year. In the Caribbean, maybe 6 months.
I would look into to products meant for decks.
An advantage of an oil finish is that the old does not have to be removed before applying a new coat.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:44 AM on October 9, 2022
I would look into to products meant for decks.
An advantage of an oil finish is that the old does not have to be removed before applying a new coat.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:44 AM on October 9, 2022
We have uncoated teak outdoor furniture that was given to us as a gift. We live in Arizona. We have done our best to care for it, and this involves cleaning it and oiling it a couple times per year. The oil makes a huge difference and drys in about 2 hours. We also keep it covered unless it is in use to limit sun exposure. I don’t love having wood furniture in Arizona. We also have some painted Adirondack chairs that have required zero maintenance.
posted by chuke at 8:45 AM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by chuke at 8:45 AM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
I live in Santa Fe, NM, and polyurethane will last a couple years in our sun here (UV Index will hit 14 due to altitude), at which point it’s pretty well shot, and it’s a pain to renew, as you need to scrape the cracked old finish off before you can put on new.
Pure tung oil will, in my experience, last a little longer, and is easier to renew when it does wear out. My experience is that thin coats (very important!) will cure overnight, but do not expect to be able to apply more than one coat per day, and be sure to wipe off any excess. Also dispose of rags properly so they don’t spontaneously combust due to the heat given off while the oil cures.
The one other finish I have been impressed with for outdoor use here in NM is Tried and True Varnish Oil, but they do not recommend it for outdoor use. That said, it seems to be holding up fairly well after a year.
posted by DaveP at 12:36 PM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Pure tung oil will, in my experience, last a little longer, and is easier to renew when it does wear out. My experience is that thin coats (very important!) will cure overnight, but do not expect to be able to apply more than one coat per day, and be sure to wipe off any excess. Also dispose of rags properly so they don’t spontaneously combust due to the heat given off while the oil cures.
The one other finish I have been impressed with for outdoor use here in NM is Tried and True Varnish Oil, but they do not recommend it for outdoor use. That said, it seems to be holding up fairly well after a year.
posted by DaveP at 12:36 PM on October 9, 2022 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I decided to give a Spar varnish meant for decks a try, as it was in the middle price point between the cheap water based stuff I would have used last time and the beautiful but $$ suggestions from DaveP (suggestions which I will store away and try if I'm back in this place next year!)
I have to say that working with the oil-based material was a pleasure. I have always thought they were troublesome, but aside from having to buy the special solvents for cleanup, it was a breeze. I found it much easier to work with the slow-drying materials, which now makes sense but not intuitively to me beforehand.
One upside to the way the sun had completely annihilated the former finish is that when I went to prep the chairs for refinishing, I was able to literally wash the old finish off the wood with a little soap and a scrub brush. It just sloughed off, so sanding was a very quick activity after that!
posted by Tandem Affinity at 9:30 PM on October 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
I have to say that working with the oil-based material was a pleasure. I have always thought they were troublesome, but aside from having to buy the special solvents for cleanup, it was a breeze. I found it much easier to work with the slow-drying materials, which now makes sense but not intuitively to me beforehand.
One upside to the way the sun had completely annihilated the former finish is that when I went to prep the chairs for refinishing, I was able to literally wash the old finish off the wood with a little soap and a scrub brush. It just sloughed off, so sanding was a very quick activity after that!
posted by Tandem Affinity at 9:30 PM on October 31, 2022 [1 favorite]
For cleanup with oil-based finishes, I cheat.
For a single project, just wrap the brush (or foam brush) in Saran Wrap between coats. It’ll be fine when you come back for the next coat. When done, let it dry and throw it away. It’s a little wasteful, but less so than solvents to clean the brush multiple times.
Glad the sun had so destroyed the old finish thoroughly enough that it came right off. That definitely makes the prep work easier.
Lastly, the oils (like pure tung) are not cheap, but as you’re putting on very thin coats, they do go quite a ways. A 12oz salsa jar of tung oil cut with mineral spirits or orange oil (to improve penetration) lasts me over a month of woodworking and finishing things.
posted by DaveP at 8:53 PM on November 3, 2022
For a single project, just wrap the brush (or foam brush) in Saran Wrap between coats. It’ll be fine when you come back for the next coat. When done, let it dry and throw it away. It’s a little wasteful, but less so than solvents to clean the brush multiple times.
Glad the sun had so destroyed the old finish thoroughly enough that it came right off. That definitely makes the prep work easier.
Lastly, the oils (like pure tung) are not cheap, but as you’re putting on very thin coats, they do go quite a ways. A 12oz salsa jar of tung oil cut with mineral spirits or orange oil (to improve penetration) lasts me over a month of woodworking and finishing things.
posted by DaveP at 8:53 PM on November 3, 2022
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posted by away for regrooving at 11:06 PM on October 7, 2022 [1 favorite]