As we are in the desert and want these to last a long time, would it be better to finish the outside of these planter boxes with a polyurethane finish as we would other furniture, and use the food safe cedar oil on the inside? Would really appreciate...
1486238
Hmmm - don't see why that wouldn't work - used the natural inside and out - so far no issues in a TN summer sun, but am aware I will need to refinish every year. Hopefully this helps.
78196
I own this box and the lifetime extra large box. They are strong enough to stand on and dry to rain. They could sit in one place for years with the interior items appropriately wrapped. MREs in the garage or back porch should be just fine. Dried beans would need other protection from tiny bugs.
732576
These are beautiful natural cedar chairs. They deserve a natural oil finish. Look for a natural clear finish (probably oil-based) that will soak in, preserve the wood, and it will dry with a beautiful gold wood colored finish that preserves the grain.
900595
We have recently contacted the manufacturer about our chairs, which after one season have started to rot on bottom of legs. Lakeland Mills has asked us for pictures of the damage, which we have not yet sent. The chairs were on dirt under pine trees. Not the same situation as yours, but similar. Info with the chairs said that cedar is naturally resistant to rot...and we may "be assured of many years of useful service."
864313
I used cedar and put 4 coats of marine grade urethane on them (so the sun didn't turn the finish yellow) The finished product is beautiful. I did order an extra pair of legs for the benches as 8' is a long stretch and they tended to "bounce. I undid the screws on one end leg, slid it down to the middle and installed the extra on the end. Works Great.
781480
I use a pure mineral oil and it works great. I've used "plant" based oils in the past but there is a danger of bacteria growth.Snow River 8-Ounce Wood Oil
1977780
As I recall, the wood is cedar and termites do not like cedar, but perhaps plastic would be better. I live in NC but am not too concerned even though we termite-treat our home. P.Belk
1848807
I live in Washington State so it doesn't really dry out the wood, I believe that mineral oil could be used on the outside to prevent damage to the wood
1087443
I think the shelves and solid panel sections are actually constructed of Masonite (or equivalent)--the difference from MDF being no glue or resins holding it together. I don't think it would last outdoors even with a good varnish. There are too many places where moisture could get into the board.
1457292
I would suggest a good coat of polyurethane or a coat of exterior paint to protect the bench if you were going to keep it outside, even on a covered balcony. The finish is ok, but I doubt it would withstand moisture on a regular basis.
1774579
It has been a little over a year with our set. We eat at the table but also have things that end up finding a home there...like napkin holders...flower vases etc....This is a "rubberwood" table. It comes with a decent finish of polyurethane. However, we do keep either a table cloth or a runner on it. It is TRUE that a nice wood table should be showed off a bit, but then again, it's wood!! Cannot expect it to hold us like granite or tiles! Given that this product is real wood, I would protect it as such. It is a durable table, but it also needs consideration based on what it is constructed of. It has been a little over a year with our set. We eat at the table but also have things that end up finding a home there...like napkin holders...flower vases etc....This is a "rubberwood" table. It comes with a decent finish of polyurethane. However, we do keep either a table cloth or a runner on it. It is TRUE that a nice wood table should be showed off a bit, but then again, it's wood!! Cannot expect it to hold us like granite or tiles! Given that this product is real wood, I would protect it as such. It is a durable table, but it also needs consideration based on what it is... » Read More It has been a little over a year with our set. We eat at the table but also have things that end up finding a home there...like napkin holders...flower vases etc....This is a "rubberwood" table. It comes with a decent finish of polyurethane. However, we do keep either a table cloth or a runner on it. It is TRUE that a nice wood table should be showed off a bit, but then again, it's wood!! Cannot expect it to hold us like granite or tiles! Given that this product is real wood, I would protect it as such. It is a durable table, but it also needs consideration based on what it is constructed of. « Show Less
1902968
All Things Cedar has some suggestions here: www.allthingscedar.com/ftips.htm I found a couple sites that recommend Sikkens Cetol 1 for a natural wood finish with high UV protection so the wood doesn't turn grey. It looks like a good way to go but needs to be touched up every 2-3 years. Application and touch-ups seem to be pretty easy according to the info here: http://www.thebestadirondackchair.com/product-care-22.aspx Some suggestions available here too: http://www.kilmercreek.com/finishlinks.html Some helpful information here: http://www.realcedar.com/resources/brochures-literature/ AND here: http://bearcreeklumber.com/general_info/onlineliterature.html where they give information and expected life of different finishes (paint lasting the longest; up to 10 yrs) and where they caution... that if you finish western red cedar, do it right away (before it weathers) or the finish may flake, peel, blister, etc.
1013384
It is a very nice cedar looking mostly red very vibrant looking color I polyurethane mine and that help it keep its color for over a year now, however I need to sand and polyurethane it again it looks like. But mine stays outside year-round
604595
I build Corn hole Boards ,all are painted, the finish is awsome over this painted surface.over the years the boards stay looking great so far. I have seen some of my boards after three years.
299909
Just make sure you seal it with a uv protectant type of polyurethane if you do. I stained and sealed mine without uv protection and had to go back and sand the entire thing and refinish, what a pain!
2220055
I used cedar 2x2s. Which was more expensive but the wood will last longer. I used decking screws which kind of drill a hole as it gets screwed in. I had no cracking when using this combination.
592349
It depends on the look you are going for. Some of the pieces are quite rough and do benefit from sanding. They do recommend oil, and some pieces have a lot of oil already on them. But I wanted a more durable finish on it that would be easy to clean, and since I do not use the top to prepare food (I have a great big cutting board for that) my husband went with a polyurethane finish. I love it. It is very smooth and well protected. It is also easy to clean.