It is a covered breezeway deck, tight knot western red cedar, brand new, gets a little direct morning sunshine on a small part of it, otherwise in shade and out of the weather except for blown rain and snow.
I don’t want a clear, but something with a small amount of brown stain to it. What do you recommend?
Replies
"What do you recommend?"
Bob,
What's your budget?, On the low end, semi transparent Olympic at $12/gallon seems to be a bargain, and with full exposure lasts two to three years. CR rated it a "CR Best buy" I'm pretty sure.
Really, Consumer Reports has been having an ongoing study for close to ten years on the topic, that where you should look. Only flaw is so many of the stains they have tested are either now longer available or have been reformulated due to, among other things, the EPA's low VOC's rules.
Jon
I went out and bought a couple gallons of Penofin Ultra Marine finish, at about $42 per gallon. Given the expected coverage, it is all I need.
Now I have this dilemma, after reading the instructions. I must brush it on, and after waiting 30 minutes, wipe all excess off. That's OK for a furniture project, but not for a deck like I have.
If I don't wipe the excess off, I will get "puddle areas" of unsoaked wood, that will look different than the surrounding fully soaked wood, and worst of all, will be forever sticky.
I guess I will need to start in one corner, and then go full length for maybe three boards of width, then wait until the 30 minute soak is done, then wipe. I didn't want to do the whole thing (about 260 sf) and then have to walk and kneel on the wet finish to do the wiping.