Wood Preservative for Spruce

[Jan Bianchi]

I am making some slab, live edge outdoor tables and benches out of spruce for my cabin on the ocean in Washington state, i.e rain, rain, rain. I know that spruce rots easily, but I have a lot of it and it is free, so I'm looking for a good wood preservative for it. It's ok if it grays. The slabs are 2 1/2" thick.

I've looked at a product called Eco Wood Treatment, which is an eco-friendly preservative but not a repellant, or CWF, which is both a preservative and repellant.

Any advice?

[Kent A Bathurst]

Don't know the products - I do know that in the industry that produces pressure-treated lumber, spruce is classified as "non-treatable". Cannot penetrate the cells with preservative.

I would urge you to consider using something else for the legs - the ground contact will cause the most, fastest, degradation. Pretty impressive, in fact, with spruce end-grain in constant constant contact with soil that is damp 300 days out of the year.

I'd bet that no matter what you do on a preservative, you'll get a number of years out of the rest of the pieces. A topical water repellent, applied annually, will extend that.

[Jan Bianchi]

Good idea on the legs. Thanks.

I've also just seen there is a Waterlox Marine Finish. I use Waterlox on most of my interior furniture. This marine finish is made for outdoor furniture, boats, etc., but not decks, the instructions say if the item is in the sun in ocean air it might have to be refinished every year.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Jan - there is no "might" about it.

If you want a marine varnish, you want to go with Epifanes. [google Jamestown Distributors] .The best-of-the-best. Takes 5 - 7 coats. I don't know your sun exposure, but it can't be like here in Georgia. I'm not sure that the sun ever breaks through the cloud cover out there? ;) I have used it on garden gates/entrances here - performs as advertised. I will guess you would need a light sanding and 1 or 2 refresh coats every 3 - 4 years, at most.

Once you put a film on outdoor items, you now have a lifetime project.

If you have extra material - sticker and cover a bunch. Assemble your furniture with stainless steel screws. Then, every 3 - 6 years, pull the screws, and replace the parts that need it.

I don't personally like lifetime maintenance projects. If it were me, I would not do anything to the spruce. As it weathers and degrades, I would take a belt sander to it when needed. That's just me.

[Mark W Pugh]

Borate coat before finishing??? http://npic.orst.edu/ingred/ptype/treatwood/borates.html.

Sealing with epoxy? http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/S-1-Sealer-2-Quart-Kit-32p248.htm

I'm starting a home repair deck project and the wood that was used, for the free standing 2nd story deck, is NOT treated wood. Looking at using System Three products on the replacement lumber.

As a side note, the last article I read on plywood boat building said that marine grade plywood was not needed. Use epoxy system to protect the boat.

These epoxy products should be able to protect your project.

[Jan Bianchi]

Jan - there is no "might" about it.

If you want a marine varnish, you want to go with Epifanes. [google Jamestown Distributors] .The best-of-the-best. Takes 5 - 7 coats. I don't know your sun exposure, but it can't be like here in Georgia. I'm not sure that the sun ever breaks through the cloud cover out there? ;) I have used it on garden gates/entrances here - performs as advertised. I will guess you would need a light sanding and 1 or 2 refresh coats every 3 - 4 years, at most.

Once you put a film on outdoor items, you now have a lifetime project.

If you have extra material - sticker and cover a bunch. Assemble your furniture with stainless steel screws. Then, every 3 - 6 years, pull the screws, and replace the parts that need it.

I don't personally like lifetime maintenance projects. If it were me, I would not do anything to the spruce. As it weathers and degrades, I would take a belt sander to it when needed. That's just me.

I really don't want to do this every year and I don't care about it keeping it's color. Gray is fine with me. I've already got two logs, cut, stickered and covered. Maybe I'll just treat it with the Eco Wood and let it go at that. Good idea on the stainless screws. Thanks

[Kent A Bathurst]

De nada. That makes sense to me - but I have no expertise or knowledge on the Eco - the product sales pitch sounds good, though.

Post photos of the furniture when you are done.....

.....and the cabin, and the ocean view. THis crowd gets jealous of photos of woodshops - might as well expand our jealousy horizons, eh?

[Mel Fulks]

I don't see any mention of paint. Traditionally it was used on outdoor furniture by those who could afford it. Put some epoxy on the end grain, paint with bright colors and display your modern affluence. A few flowers on your property will be admired more by
your guests than a parlor furniture finish on spruce.