Need to protect an outdoor project and cannot use poly

[mpholway]

I used Restore-a-Finish to clean up a pair of benches made out of a reclaimed "This-end-up" bunk bed (see image attached) . The bench is intended for outdoor use so I need to put on a protective coating. It states very specifically on the can label to not use a poly finish. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what finish I might use to protect this from the elements?
Thanks in advance,
Matt

 

[Bill Clemmons]

What about a spar varnish?

 

[Mike Davis]

I've had great results with clear automotive acrylic enamel.

 

[Phil S]

Sikkens CETOL DEK finish, flexible and durable - I would use nothing else

 

[Jeff]

Why did you choose to use "Restor-A-Finish" instead of just stripping or sanding the original benches? Just curious. Most of the "This End Up" furniture is made from southern yellow pine (SYP).

A poly finish is a very poor choice for an outdoor finish so that's a moot point anyway. There aren't many choices for an outdoor finish but a high quality spar varnish is a good option.

Jamestown Distributors

www.jamestowndistributors.com

 

[danmart77]

Sikkens CETOL DEK finish, flexible and durable - I would use nothing else

That's the one to use for my outdoor stuff. Its a slow varnish and I can say from experience it outlast most of the others I have used. Nothing last forever.

 

[mpholway]

Thanks all.

Jeff,
I used restore-a-finish because it did not require a full stripping and refinish. It only needed to be cleaned-up and a few scratches and gouges need to be evened out.

Phil,
Do the stock it in Home Depot stores and can I spray it on?

 

[Jeff]

Jeff,
I used restore-a-finish because it did not require a full stripping and refinish. It only needed to be cleaned-up and a few scratches and gouges need to be evened out.

Ok. I don't know how or why it works after looking at the list of ingredients that are petroleum distillates, acetone, and isopropyl alcohol. Do you have any idea what the original finish was that is now supposed to be "restored"?

 

[mpholway]

I havw no idea what this end up used as a finish but our experience with restore-a-finish is quite good on non-poly finishes.

 

[Jeff]

I havw no idea what this end up used as a finish but our experience with restore-a-finish is quite good on non-poly finishes.

Examples of your experiences would be helpful (just curious as usual). What happened with Restor-a-finish and the poly finishes that was disappointing or didn't work as expected?

 

[mpholway]

I didn't try a poly finish on top of Restore-A-Finish because it very explicitly says not to. In the past I have used shellac and wax on top of it very successfully but those were for indoor projects whereas as this is for outdoors.

 

[Jeff]

I didn't try a poly finish on top of Restore-A-Finish because it very explicitly says not to. In the past I have used shellac and wax on top of it very successfully but those were for indoor projects whereas as this is for outdoors.

Ok. I thought that you had tried Restore-A-Finish on wood that already had poly on it. I don't understand why they say don't put poly over their product. As a chemist it makes no sense but you're going to do an outdoor finish anyway.

 

[marinosr]

Restor-a-finish is mostly mineral oil, a non-drying oil. I imagine they say not to put poly over it because the mineral oil will diffuse into the poly and render it forever-tacky.

 

[Jeff]

Restor-a-finish is mostly mineral oil, a non-drying oil. I imagine they say not to put poly over it because the mineral oil will diffuse into the poly and render it forever-tacky.

That's interesting. How did you find out that it's mostly mineral oil and of course that's not on the MSDS ingredients list because it's non-hazardous. I think that any finish (shellac, wax, varnish) over mineral oil (non-drying) would be poor.

 

[marinosr]

No it's on the SDS. That's how I found out. It's a heavy mineral oil, not the stuff you'd wipe on a baby's butt, but same difference I think w.r.t. cross-linking/curing.

Distillates (petroleum), hydrotreated heavy paraffinic CAS Number: 0064742-54-7 50-70%

Which TSCA describes as:

A complex combination of hydrocarbons obtained by treating a petroleum fraction with hydrogen in the presence of a catalyst. It consists of hydrocarbons having carbon numbers predominantly in the range of C20 through C50 and produces a finished oil of at least 100 SUS at 100.degree.F (19cSt at 40.degree.C). It contains a relatively large proportion of saturated hydrocarbons.

 

[Phil S]

Thanks all.

Jeff,
I used restore-a-finish because it did not require a full stripping and refinish. It only needed to be cleaned-up and a few scratches and gouges need to be evened out.

Phil,
Do the stock it in Home Depot stores and can I spray it on?

I have never seen it at HD. I buy at the Garner Bennie Moore store and yes I have sprayed it with my Devilbus Finishline 4 with a 1.5 tip

 

[Jeff]

Restor-a-finish is mostly mineral oil, a non-drying oil. I imagine they say not to put poly over it because the mineral oil will diffuse into the poly and render it forever-tacky.

Does Restor-A-Finish feel oily on the hands like mineral oil? Mineral oil is often used on cutting boards and this is the first time I've heard of mineral oil being in a finish restoring product. I'm surprised that any finish over it works including shellac, lacquer, or enamel.

 

[marinosr]

I don't use the stuff so I couldn't say. It's like 25% solvents and the rest mineral oil with a bit of stain in it. I'm guessing that it works like this, at least on NC lacquers... for water/steam ring the solvents act like blush eliminator and soften the lacquer enough allow the trapped water to evaporate. Maybe it also softens the lacquer just enough to let minor scratches get buffed out. The mineral oil cuts the strength of the solvents so you don't end up wiping off the lacquer. For deeper scratches that go to the wood, the mineral oil and stain soak in a bit, offering a better color match to the finished wood than the bare exposed wood does. At least that what it appears like on photos on Amazon reviews. For curing varnishes, I doubt it would do much, but most 20-70 year-old commercially-made furniture is finished with NC. Just speculating as to the mechanism, but that makes sense to me.

I don't think that the idea is that you finish on top of it. I think the idea is that you put it onto your furniture that you don't want to refinish, If it doesn't work, you strip the piece or throw it away.

 

[mpholway]

It turns out they have it at HD but only online.

Jeff - thank you for lending your chemistry expertise. I will keep you both apprised of my results.

 

[marinosr]

Sry for hijacking your thread Matt.