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The salesperson told us to put marine grade oil on the table as soon as we put it outside, but I remember reading somewhere that oiling wood furniture makes it get mildew. So does anyone know the best way to protect it?

Oil seeps into the wood and prevents water from penetrating. But, since it doesn't completely keep water from touching the wood, it is prone to mildew.

If the wood is teak, it likely won't require more than the oil, as teak has natural anti-mildew properties. Any other type of wood, I would consider a marine spar varnish.

Spar varnish is a thick sealing coat of urethane that they use on all exposed wood surfaces on boats. It comes in a gloss or satin finish, which both give the same amount of protection. The varnish is kind of an amber color and gives a deep luster to wood. It also tends to yellow a bit with age.

First, you should sand the furniture smooth to ensure a good finished surface. Use a tack cloth, or terry cloth damp with mineral spirits to clean off any sanding dust. When that dries, you can apply the varnish with an oil-based type of brush (these are more expensive, but they have the perfect bristle density for applying oil-based paints and varnishes). Put on a fairly thin, but even coat. You'll be applying multiple coats to get it thick. But, if you try to get it thick in one coat, you'll get lots of drips.

After the first coat, let it dry for at least 24 hours. If you don't give it at least that much time between coats, the solvents in the next coat will dissolve some of the previous coat, causing blistering. And, the only way to fix that is to strip all the varnish off and start over.

Before applying the next coat, lightly sand with a fine grit (220 or higher) sand paper or with steel wool. This roughens up the surface a bit, so the next coat will stick better. Repeat as many times as necessary to get the surface finish completely covered (usually 2 or 3 coats will do).

2008-09-03 11:01:54 by Azriel

Outdoor wood furniture is best cleaned with a combination of mild soap and water. Use a scrubby sponge to apply soapy water to wood furniture, and ...

I have used polyurethane but I am wondering if there is a better product.
Thanks for your help

Visit a marine supply store for preservatives & finishes.
Could use a marine varnish , but like polys can toast your buns if its been in the sun & you are wearing shorts.
Marine finishes stand up well to weather & do not scab the way polyurethanes do.
Best regards

2008-10-06 16:57:24 by Steve in NC

Price: $11.49 $6.20

Easy to apply with a gel-like consistency
Polishes outdoor furniture to a soft luster and protects with a coating of natural waxes
Prevents drying, cracking and deterioration

Me and my friends want to revamp my patio with a few chairs and tables.We were wondering if there was a way we can take indoor wood furniture and condition it so it can be protected from outdoor elements.

In general wooden furniture doesn't do well outside unless it is made from teak, cypress and heart redwood.

It is very difficult to completely seal the wood from moisture specially at glue joints and on the bottom of feet. Also the glue used is not water resistant or water proof.

If the patio is covered so there is no direct way for water to get to the furniture, you might get it to last for a few years.

The single biggest problem is water wicking up into the wood from contact with the ground, concrete, bricks or patio stones. The other problem is glue failure at joints and on any veneers or plywood that may be on or in the furniture.

2009-01-08 10:00:09 by A-Man

What type of product should I put on them and how? They are both stained to look like redwood and are fading and drying out.

Clean them up with an oxyclean and water solution. Either apply and then power wash or apply and then scrub. After cleaning decide if the furniture needs to be sanded.

Then apply an outdoor deck stain. Behr (sold at Home Depot) has a nice redwood stain.

2008-04-18 11:10:50 by flying monkeys

We need a new dining table and chairs for the garden. We can't afford teak but there appears to be a wide selection of products in either acacia wood or eucalyptus wood. Which of these two woods is the best choice and why? Of course if anyone knows a place to buy low cost teak furniture then please let us know. Thanks

I'm just a poor good ole boy, but if you can afford to buy any wood furniture for outside, especially a dining table and chairs, I'd say you could afford the teak.

2007-06-04 03:31:08 by ach