CARE AND MAINTENANCE

CARE AND MAINTENANCE OF YOUR REDWOOD OUTDOOR FURNITURE

    Your new outdoor furniture was built to last decades, but if you want to keep it protected, prevent fading and looking its best, it will need a little TLC.  The finish can really make or break a piece of furniture, that said:

As with all outdoor furniture, regular cleaning and yearly maintenance (of finish) will help to  keep your redwood furniture looking beautiful.

For routine cleaning of your furniture simply use a soft, dry cloth to wipe away dust, avoid using harsh chemicals.  A damp cloth can be used for dried in dirt. Linseed based oil is optimal for redwood, but teak, tung, argan, danish, coconut and lemon oils will also do the trick to clean and restore sheen.

When it comes to outdoor finishes there are a lot of varying opinions on what is best,  but basically there are 3 options; !) Nothing - Some wood (and people) are perfectly happy aging naturally, woods like redwood, cedar and cypress that have a high rot resistance age quite gracefully in the buff. This is by far the easiest method as far as maintenance, there isn't any.  The wood won't last as long as finished wood and will fade (rather quickly) to a light or dark grayish ash. (Think of your neighbors fence).  2) Film forming- On the other end of the spectrum you have film forming finishes, they form a protective barrier against the elements, UV, moisture, etc. Basically its the finish taking the beating, not the wood. These types include your urethanes, varnishes, paints, laquers and shellacs. Reapplication will be needed every 1-3 years depending on exposure. 3) Oil - Oil is a compromise of 1 and 2.  The oil absorbs into the wood and dries within the fibers, it provides a decent level of protection (after many coats) while still maintaining the natural look of the wood.. Yearly maintenance is required, fortunately is is fairly easy, just wipe on. 

I finish (almost) all of my outdoor pieces with a high quality oil based clear spar urethane/spar varnish.  In my opinion it is the best finish for outdoor furniture and structures. It not only enhances the redwood tones, it waterproofs, seals and provides superior protection from the weather and harsh UV rays. Spar urethane/varnish is a marine finish and its origins are from the boating world where it was used to coat and protect the spars or long poles that supported the boat’s sails. These finishes needed to stand up to seawater, extreme weather  and blistering sun. They also had to be flexible since the spars were constantly flexing and expanding and contracting due to moisture and heat.  Modern spar urethanes contain special oils to keep them both flexible and durable. 

You will need to reapply the spar urethane every 1-3 years, depending on how much it’s used and how much it’s exposed to the elements. Don’t worry, it’s a fairly simple process and can usually be done in less than an hour, (not including drying time).  Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 quart oil based spar urethane, Varathane, Epifanes. Helmsman Minwax and Man o War are all good brands. (I typically use semi-gloss.) 

• 1 small can of paint thinner/mineral spirits.

• Rags or stain sponge. (An old t-shirt cut up works great!)

• Sandpaper- 220-320 grit.  (Note: If you have quite a few pieces to maintain a random orbital sander would be a great investment and make the job 10x easier.) You’re welcome.

• Disposable gloves

• Canvas or plastic drop cloth if working on concrete.

• Small container, bowl or bucket for paint thinner.

• Shop towels/paper towels. 

I know this seems like a lot but you probably already have many of these things at home anyway. 

Follow these steps to apply/reapply spar urethane:

1. To ensure a flawless finish, work in an area as dust free as possible, outdoors is fine as long as it's not; windy, under a tree, in direct sunlight, near pets, too hot, too cold, or a day beginning with the letter 'T'.

2. Lightly sand all exposed areas, just enough so that the new coat of spar urethane will adhere properly.  (If you skip this step your finish will not adhere and will result in peeling).

3. Wipe of dust with a soft cloth or paper towel.

4. Pour some paint thinner into small bowl or container.

5. Dip your rag or sponge into paint thinner, just a bit, don’t saturate it, squeeze out any excess if needed.

6. Now dip your rag or sponge into can of spar urethane, completely saturating it, but not so it’s dripping.

7. Apply spar using a circular or wiping motion, rub it in enough so that it doesn’t pool.

8. Let dry 4-8 hrs. before using again. Keep out of direct sunlight until completely dry or else bubbling may occur.

That’s it! Now that wasn’t so bad, was it?  With these simple maintenance steps, your furniture will  stay beautiful and protected for decades!