My wife has an event rental business (themed events, weddings, etc.). I built a redwood wedding arch, and included threaded inserts to it can all be easily transported, assembled and knocked down afterwards. Anyway, I'm looking for suggestions for a finish that will allow the color to pop, but not create a layer on top of the wood (like varnish). I like the protection that a good marine spar varnish would provide, but since I need to finish all the individual parts separately (as opposed to a fully assembled project), my concern would be that when assembled, tightening the bolts to hold the pieces together might cause a varnish to crack.

What would you use to seal the wood and protect it from the elements, but not get damaged by assembly/disassembly?


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