Stain or varnish for garden furniture?

bomchikkawawa

Hi all,

(I don’t have a clue about painting outdoor furniture!) I have a garden table and benches that were new last year and haven’t been stained/painted yet. We wanted to paint colour on the legs of table leaving wood colour on the table top. We are unlikely to do this that often so I want it to last.

I see Ronseal have a clear stain for garden furniture..... would it be better to use an outdoor varnish instead? I don’t really understand what the clear stain would look like in comparison to a varnish.

Thanks!

Lex Luthor

I use Colron Wood Dye each year on my wooden sections of the furniture

Each year I just hive a light sanding and wipe on with a rag, its a couple hours and worth the time spent

GreeBo

Always use a stain, varnish will break your heart with maintenance.

Sinus pain

Would you have a look at frenchic paint? If you wanted a colour https://frenchicpaint.co.uk/collections/paint-al-fresco

bomchikkawawa

GreeBo wrote: »

Always use a stain, varnish will break your heart with maintenance.

I would have thought varnish needs to be done less frequently? Why is stain better?

TopTec

I have just used rapeseed oil on some douglas fir outdoor furniture I bought last week. Brings out the grain beautifully and is not greasy like some other oils. After 48 hours there is no smell at all.

Recommended to me by the guy that makes the furniture and it works a treat, penetrates deeply, took a 4 euro bottle to do one childs storyteller bench, another 2 seater bench and table to do.

TT

GinSoaked

bomchikkawawa wrote: »

I would have thought varnish needs to be done less frequently? Why is stain better?

The problem comes when you need to revarnish. The prep to get the old varnish to a state where it will take new varnish is massive compared to brushing the dust off which is often all thats required for a stain. At worst stained timber can be given a scrub with Net-trol.

Irish_peppa

TopTec wrote: »

I have just used rapeseed oil on some douglas fir outdoor furniture I bought last week. Brings out the grain beautifully and is not greasy like some other oils. After 48 hours there is no smell at all.

Recommended to me by the guy that makes the furniture and it works a treat, penetrates deeply, took a 4 euro bottle to do one childs storyteller bench, another 2 seater bench and table to do.

TT

Would Linseed oil be similar? Also do you think you could use Rapeseed oil on pressure treated decking?

TopTec

Irish_peppa wrote: »

Would Linseed oil be similar? Also do you think you could use Rapeseed oil on pressure treated decking?

I think it is similar just a darn sight less expensive. Raw wood always sucks oil in in large quantities. Rapeseed seems less fatty to me as well and certainly dries quicker. Only time and weather will tell if it as effective as linseed.

I always assumed that using oil as opposed to a stain is that oil brings out the grain more and makes it look richer and far more natural. Using any oil on tanolised timber seems less effective in that the grain is already coloured by the preservative. I suppose a sanding would cause the grain to appear more.

I will post a picture when the rain stops and I can get to the Dairy.


TT

Dr_Colossus

Irish_peppa wrote: »

Would Linseed oil be similar? Also do you think you could use Rapeseed oil on pressure treated decking?

I used boiled linseed oil on the side gates which are largely made from pressure treated decking boards. Expensive enough at nearly €6 per 500ml bottle and you wouldn't be long going through a few bottles.

scamalert

plenty of choice for staining dutch oil seems to be used a lot, theres another brand that forget name, has some nano crap in it that lets wood breathe and preservers natural look without letting any rot in- really depends how much you need and how expensive you want to go. varnish as said yes with few coats does look nice but given its outdoor furniture, unless you can disassemble completely and use sand paper grinder to get if off completely its ton of work to do it right come second time, as you have to get back to bare wood, for it to look right again.

GinSoaked

Forgot to ask is this hardwood or softwood.

Hardwood I'd use Owatrol Deks Olje D1 and give it a wipe over with the same stuff every year after. Sounds a lot of work but because there is no real prep other than dusting off the surface its really quick and easy.

TopTec

Using the rapeseed in between showers....Before the back was done....

https://imgur.com/foN8Xmj

and after the first coat

https://imgur.com/gdseLey


Used 1/2 litre bottle got at Supervalu for E2.90

TT