There are various cedar woods that are used for Cedar Outdoor Furniture. Some of the most desirable are Western Red Cedar, Eastern White Cedar and yellow cedar. Each has its own unique tones, but left to age naturally, all will gradually have a silver-gray color with a raised grain. Most people prefer natural aging. However, if this is not your preference, there are things you can do to prevent natural aging of your Cedar Outdoor Furniture.
Coverings and Storage Outdoor furniture covers can be purchased to protect your investment when it is not in use. During longer periods in which the furniture is not in use, you can put it in storage. However, this really is not necessary if you care for it properly.
Wood Sealer
Wood sealers block the pores of the Cedar Outdoor Furniture preventing moisture and dirt from getting in the pores. This will result in the silver-gray coloring of the Cedar Outdoor Furniture, but inhibits the grain from becoming raised. A good wood sealer is Thompson's Wood Sealer. Also, there are now good quality sealers on the market that also contain Ultra Violet inhibitors. These not only seal the wood, but also help preserve the fresh tones of the wood.
Stain
Wood stain will preserve the color and smoothness of freshly sanded Cedar Outdoor Furniture. You need to use quality penetrating sealers and transparent or solid exterior stains. Stains come in a wide variety of colors making it easy to match any of your other indoor or outdoor décor. It is recommended that you apply two coats of a semi transparent stain with an Ultra Violet inhibitor to preserve the fresh look of your Cedar Outdoor Furniture. A new coat should be reapplied every 2 years. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed before you stain your Cedar Outdoor Furniture.
In its natural state, Western Red Cedar's color ranges from light amber to deep honey brown. Since Western red cedar comes in varying shades, any one set may contain a variation of wood colors. Most people consider part of Western Red Cedar's charm. However, for those that would like uniformity, we recommend applying a stain.
Wood Oil High quality wood oil applied to Cedar Outdoor Furniture will also preserve the color and texture. It will not protect the wood from turning silver-gray. However, we do not recommend using oil finishes on Cedar Outdoor Furniture because dust particles in the air will stick to the finish.
Paint
All wood furniture can be painted. However, over time it will blister, flake and peel. Cedar Outdoor Furniture does not accept paint as well as other woods like poplar and other treated woods. These woods accept paint much better than cedar or teak. Also, paint will trap moisture in the wood, unlike stain, which is breathable.
Last but not least
Western Red Cedar furniture needs to be “preservative treated” if it is going to be in the ground (i.e. Garden Arbor posts, Pergola posts, fence posts, and landscape ties).
