Cypress Finishing/Or Not

[Jeff]

I'm building a couple of folding cypress bar stools/deck chairs for my son and his wife who are living in Virginia Beach.

I'm considering leaving the cypress totally unfinished since the wood should eventually take on a natural pewter grey after sitting outside in the sun, rain, and salt air. This is ultra low maintenance and the cypressine within the wood is a natural preservative against mold, rot, and insects.

The other alternative suggested by the Wood Whisperer (Marc Spagnuolo) is his concoction for a finish in an extreme outdoor environment. It's basically a very, very light coat of some boiled linseed oil, mineral spirits, and a little bit of Epifanes marine varnish (episode 46). He suggests recoating at 1-2 year intervals so there's a little more periodic maintenance.

<http://thewoodwhisperer.com/>

Does anyone have any thoughts on options 1, 2, or both? I thought you coastal folks would have more experience with cypress and its uses at the beach. :eusa_naug

Thanks in advance.

 

[alleng]

We have been making adirondacks out of cypress for a couple of months now, we had 2 sets outside and wasn't long before they looked liked they were growing mold. The wood wasn't turning grey like it should, only in a few places, it just had patches of black mold. Needless to say, that set is now Carolina Blue, and for sale. :eusa_danc We use a light coat of Thompsons on them now unless people want them completely unfinished. We did one set with Cabot's Austrailian Timber Oil and it turned out really pretty and is still the color of the wood, but we have it on a covered porch. I too am curious as to what other people use and how you get the wood to turn without growing mold. I have heard that using polyurethane rather than urethane will cause them to still get the uv rays that turn the wood, but not the water damage. Any thoughts from any one on that one??

 

[jeff...]

This is a great question in general - what do you use to finish outdoor wood furniture? I've been trying to figure this one out for a long time... Paint works well but who want to paint nature wood? Wood stain also works well but stain is a nasty 5 letter just like paint is when it comes to wood. What "clear" finish can be used and what is the best out there? Sees there is a great opportunity for some of our "chemical" guys to make a huge splash in the market and become millionaires - just don;t forget you good buddy when you do ok?


Thanks

 

[DaveO]

A few threads on the subject -

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13595

Pigment free oil based paint seems to be the best bet for a longlasting outdoor finish -
http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13490

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=13391

http://www.ncwoodworker.net/forums/showthread.php?t=3584&highlight=outdoor+finishes

I have found that BLO/Tung oil will quickly support mold and mildew growth if kept in a shaded environment. You might consider a finish with a sythetic oil if they will be in that type of an area -
http://saversystems.com/deck_stain_for_hardwoods.php


MTCW,
Dave

 

[jeff...]

So what's the conclusion? Neutral or 4 base oil based paint will dry clear and is the best?

Thanks

 

[JackLeg]

Australian Timber Oil by Cabot is what we usen on cypress. It does a really nice job. Gives good UV protection. It's easy to wipe, brush, or spray on. Just put it on as thin as possible.

 

[Touchwood]

Jeff,


I used two coats of Waterlox on my shop floor 16 years ago, and it has stood up very well. It's a tung-oil based product. They make a Waterlox Marine Sealant (get it at a boat supply) that I've used on outdoor furniture, and it too has been great. I also have some cypress tables on my back deck, with no finish and after 10 years they are definitely silver-gray and have no rot...but the carpenter bees love them.:eusa_doh:

Don

 

[Howard Acheson]

>> So what's the conclusion? Neutral or 4 base oil based paint will dry clear and is the best?

"Clear" paint will work but you must put on at least 4-5 coats.

One thing to keep in mind is that there is no clear finish that will last long when the item is left outside exposed to the elements. UV and other atmospheric conditions will rather rapidly deteriorate any clear finish. Us boaters wish that wasn't true. Consumer Union has been testing outdoor finishes for almost 10 years and consumer, big box brand, "spar" poly varnishes fail very quickly. Poly should not be used outdoors. UV attacks it and it rapidly turns amber and cloudy then begins to crack and peel.

The best outdoor clear finishes are the "clear" paint and a true marine exterior varnish. You must go to a marine supply store for these. Look for brands like Interlux, Pettit, Wolsey or, best of all, Epifanes. They are expensive. Follow the directions on the label. Be sure to put on enough coats as it is the film thickness of the UV protectorants that is important. Even so, the finish will need periodic maintenance probably annually. When the finish begins to look cloudy, sand it lightly and apply a couple of more coats. Every 5-8 years, the finish will need to be totally stripped and redone.

The latest issue of Consumer Reports has their annual results for their testing of outdoor finishes. Your library should have it. The more opaque the finish/treatment, the longer it will last.

BTW, I am not in favor of any "brew" that includes linseed oil if it is going to be used outdoors. Linseed oil is candy to mold. Pure tung oil is less receptive to mold.

 

[Larry Rose]

I'm partial to no finish on cypress for out door furniture. I've done both and I don't like having to refinish every year or so. If you don't catch it in time then there's nothing to do but sand it down and start over. I have a couple of pieces on our deck at Kitty Hawk and they have no finish just a beautiful silvery grey patina.

 

[TracyP]

It's funny how these threads come at just the right time. I am currently building some plant stands from some cypress I got from Jackleg this past Saturday and was wondering what to finish them with. Thanks for posting this thread and for the replies.

 

[Glennbear]

FWIW May 2008 edition of WOOD magazine has an article on outdoor finishes and repairs when they fail. :wsmile:

 

[Jeff]

This has been an informative and interesting discussion. We may be a bunch of tadpoles trying to swim upstream against Mother Nature. Oils, stains, clear paints, marine varnish etc. don't seem to be the long term answers so maybe we should be more selective in the wood species that we select for these outdoor projects.

Ipe', Cumaru, Cypress and a lot of other "exotic" woods may fit the bill, but most seem to eventually weather to a pewter grey patina if left untreated. Is that bad? It could be if you're trying to sell a patio set and the potential buyer likes the amber finished and polished look that a piece exhibits in the showroom. What the heck, triple dip it in polyurethane or spar varnish and set it in the sun for a couple of years! As the badger says: "Low maintenance you ask, heck your're grandkids will inherit it without ever having to touch a piece of sandpaper or refinishing stuff".

I think that I'm gonna leave my bar stools/deck chairs completely natural and see how they weather out. Nothing ventured, nothing gained and thanks a whole lot to all of you for your input. :gar-La;

 

[TracyP]

Gonna try to spray some heavy coats of poly on the plant stands this weekend and see how they last. Heck, they will be covered with plants so who is gonna see them.

 

[Langd002]

I just built 2 doors out of cypress for my backyard shed. Based on recommendations found on the Web, I used 2 coats of Penofin transparent Marine Oil. It's supposed to be UV resistant and contains a mildewcide. To reapply you just clean and recoat, no sanding required. This was a big selling point for me since my wife would like to maintain the natural cypress color and not let them go gray. I was able to purchase the Penofin at Tarheel Wood Treating in Morrisville NC which is close to home (Durham, NC).

Application was very easy. The Penofin is thin and I just painted on 2 coats with a cheap brush. A gallon will go a long way. It gave the cypress a light yellow color.

Only time will tell how well the finish does. They've only been outdoors for a few weeks.

 

[BlakeNC]

I use no finish on my cypress bee hive bodies at all. Sometimes I will use a color for coding, but this is a solid water based paint.
Best,
Blake

 

[SteveColes]

Australian Timber Oil by Cabot is what we usen on cypress. It does a really nice job. Gives good UV protection. It's easy to wipe, brush, or spray on. Just put it on as thin as possible.

The rocker you built for me is now on our covered porch. What should we be doing to it??

 

[SteveColes]

Originally Posted by JackLeg

Australian Timber Oil by Cabot is what we usen on cypress. It does a really nice job. Gives good UV protection. It's easy to wipe, brush, or spray on. Just put it on as thin as possible.
​

The rocker you built for me is now on our covered porch. What should we be doing to it??

Help Please, Bump

 

[McRabbet]

Penofin is an excellent exterior clear finish to protect exposed wood -- it is commonly used for Timber homes. And by the way, Scott -- welcome to the website! You need to start a new thread in the Who We Are Forum (go to the Forums button at top, find that forum in the new window and click on New thread) so you can introduce yourself to the members here -- and be prepared to take and post pictures, because around here, No pics, it didn't happen! Welcome to the site.