How to Preserve Wood Finishes Outside

Choose hardwoods. They keep their finishes the longest. They offer the greatest durability and the least amount of upkeep. Although they cost more, they save you money in the long run because they do not rot, they won’t warp and they keep their shape. The hardwoods are cedar, teak and redwood. The added bonus found in these woods is that they are the most beautiful woods to choose from.

Don’t leave your wooden furniture outside all year if you live in an area where it’s snows and freezes. Put it inside a shed, garage or patio if at all possible. At least put it under an overhang if you can’t get it indoors. It would be well worth the investment to buy some furniture covers if it can’t be stored in a building for the off season. If you’re not going to use your furniture for a while it’s great to cover it. If you buy attractive covers, you can keep the furniture covered until you use it for the best protection.

Buy durable covers that are made with tough, waterproof material that breathes. Put the covers on snugly so that they fit right and don’t leave any places for water to puddle on them. Don’t use plastic tarps or bags that will trap the dampness and moisture and hold it against the furniture, causing more damage than the elements themselves would. You can’t just cover up the body of the furniture because the legs will stand in the brunt of the weather for the longest time.

Keep the finish of wood fresh and new by restaining or painting it when needed. To stain, just lightly rough up the surface–you don’t want to remove any wood and you needn’t remove all the old stain unless you’re going to a completely different color. For paint, you must prime it if you are painting over stain or raw wood. You should use paint that is made for outdoor woods–a good quality outdoor latex enamel should work well. If you want hardwoods to age to a weathered look, just leave them alone. If you later want to stain them, just sand them and go.

Keep soft woods like pine clean and dry for the best durability. This is not a durable outdoor wood, so make sure to keep it out of the weather as much as possible. Use excellent quality paint and stains on soft woods and you can even go over them with a polyurethane finish for added wear. Never leave them where they will be standing in water or they will rot very quickly. With the proper TLC even soft wood like pine can be enjoyed for years to come.