Adirondack chair finish

[Randy Henry]

I just completed making several adirondack chairs from Cyprus. I have been told that Cyprus does not need anything on it, to let it age naturally with nothing on it. I would like to preserve the wood as much as I can, so I have thought about putting Anchor Seal on it. I know that I could not use the chairs for several days until they dry, but has anyone ever used Anchor Seal for this type of purpose, or have any thoughts about it? Thanks.

[Sam Murdoch]

Can't respond to the anchor seal question, but I will report that my #1 advice for preserving outdoor chairs or tables or doors is to seal the bottom of the legs (or underside of doors) with several thin coats of epoxy. Let each coat saturate the grain thoroughly. Your chairs (and others) will last for years & years longer even if you leave them out on wet grass or in wet snow, regardless of what other finish you apply to the surface. I have also tried Guerrilla Glue but the epoxy glues tend to foam up and leave more of a mess than does the epoxy - still that was much better than nothing. I typically use West System epoxy.

[Scott Holmes]

Anchor seal is very soft; it is intended to seal green wood so it can air dry slowly. I think it would be terrible as a finish and would end up on everyones clothes too...