Exterior Finishes; Which One Should You Choose?

When the weather’s good, you want to make the most of your garden. So it’s time to dust off the bbq, clean the patio and get all of your exterior furnishings, summer ready. But the question is, do you replace existing furnishings or rejuvenate them?

With so many exterior finishes on the market it can be hard to pick the right one. Here we have a look at the different types of finishes, their pros and cons, so you can make the best choice for you, first time.

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Key factors

To get the right finish for you, it’s best to try and match the product with the project. Here are some of the factors you need to think about when buying….

Maintenance

All exterior finishes have one thing in common… they don’t last forever. Some do last longer than others though. So the first consideration is how often do you want to clean, sand or refinish your furnishings? This can be every three months, or every three years!

Application

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Are you wanting a quick and easy to apply finish? Or are you happy to spend some more time and possibly learn some new skills in the process?

Appearance

Do you want to bring out the natural beauty of the wood, leave a glossy finish, lightly colour it or completely paint over it with a new colour?

Cost

By refinishing instead of replacing you’ve already saved yourself a fair amount of money, but how much are you willing to pay to get the finish you want?

Sadly, no finish will score highly in all categories, so you need to find the product for you.

What exterior finishes are there?

Exterior Oils

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Oils soak into the wood and dry within the fibres. This offers a good amount of moisture protection whilst maintaining a natural, no film look.

Pros

Cons

• Quick and easy to apply
• Enhances the natural character of the wood
• Some oils have built in UV protection
• Won’t blister or peel

• Will need to be reapplied more often than other products
• Offers the least amount of protection against wear and dirt

Exterior oils are probably the most commonly available product for use outdoors. This is due to them being the easiest to apply and generally the cheapest. Oils such as Danish Oil and Tung Oil can be used for both interior and exterior wooden projects. On their own, they don’t offer very much protection outside and will have to be replaced very often (3-6 months). However as a base, mixed with varnishes they can be very durable.

Your best bet with oils is to choose a specially made exterior oil, formulated to protect against both the sun and fungal attack. These are also very easy to apply (with a natural bristle brush) and will last up to 12 months before having to be reapplied. Another good thing with these oils is that they can come in clear if you want to enhance the natural beauty of the wood or lightly coloured to match the wood you are using. Some oils, such as Osmo will be better suited to vertical surfaces, although we have found that it works just as well on horizontal ones.

Film Forming Finishes (Varnishes and Paints)

Unlike oil finishes, varnishes provide a protective film over the wood. This allows them to offer a very high level of protection and durability.

Pros

Cons

• Offers very high protection against sun, rain and dirt
• Lasts longer than any other exterior finish (up to 3x longer)
• Very good at bringing out the depth and beauty of the wood (clear varnishes only)

• Application is harder and often many coats are required to get the perfect finish
• If moisture gets behind the finish it can blister and peel
• If blistering occurs, you will have to completely strip and refinish the wood again

Exterior finishes are a minefield that much is true. But we hope that this guide has gone some way to helping you get through it. No exterior finishes are perfect, so it’s about matching your needs to the products available and seeing which one suits you best. If you have any experiences with some of these products, please feel free to comment below and we can add to this guide as we go.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
Categories: Outdoor