penetrating exterior oil that works?

[David Zaret]

does anyone have a penetrating, exterior oil that they actually like for outdoor furniture (unstained, raw wood, only oil as the finish)? does anything actually work for more than ... a few seasons? i do not want a film finish, which is, perhaps, the issue... but if there is a reasonable oil out there, i'm game to try it.

penofin?
GF exterior oil?
Osmo?
australian timber oil?
a teak oil?

thanks for any advice.

-- dz

[Scott Winners]

I can't think of an oil that will last more than a couple seasons. My flat bladed shovel, and my wheelbarrow get new BLO every spring. I use the flat shovel year round, there is no room for the wheelbarrow in my garden shed, so they are both outdoors year round up here. You are far enough north I don't know of an outdoor film finish that would last more than a few seasons either. BLO is very easy to re-apply over old BLO.

I too would be delighted to at least consider an alternate product if someone else knows of one.

[Jason Roehl]

The way to protect outside is opacity and/or absorption of UV light. A thick, opaque film finish will last the longest by keeping UV from the substrate/finish bond layer. A penetrating finish has to be thin to penetrate, so it can only absorb UV to protect, and it can only do that for so long, as the absorption of the UV breaks it down over a relatively short period of time. TANSTAAFL.

[David Zaret]

The way to protect outside is opacity and/or absorption of UV light. A thick, opaque film finish will last the longest by keeping UV from the substrate/finish bond layer. A penetrating finish has to be thin to penetrate, so it can only absorb UV to protect, and it can only do that for so long, as the absorption of the UV breaks it down over a relatively short period of time. TANSTAAFL.

yep - absolutely understood that the film finishes are sacrificial, protecting the wood. ... and i'm still wondering if there's a marginal penetrating oil. the answer might be "nope, prepare yourself for maintenance."

[Stan Calow]

i've used Penefin oils and Cabot Australian Timber Oil on various projects. Neither of them lasted more than a few years (full hot sun) but they looked OK. Better than spar varnish.

[John TenEyck]

yep - absolutely understood that the film finishes are sacrificial, protecting the wood. ... and i'm still wondering if there's a marginal penetrating oil. the answer might be "nope, prepare yourself for maintenance."

^^^^^

Nothing has worked on my Ipe' deck for more than a year, most not even that long. Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, ??? and Clark, or is it Clark and ???, regardless, none of them worked. The least maintenance product I've used is "One Time", which is supposed to last 7 years on some woods, but Ipe' ain't one of them. At least One Time didn't get black mold on it over the Winter as all the others did.

John

[David Zaret]

hey john, would you use it on white oak Adirondack chairs?

^^^^^

Nothing has worked on my Ipe' deck for more than a year, most not even that long. Ipe' Oil, Penofin Hardwood Oil, ??? and Clark, or is it Clark and ???, regardless, none of them worked. The least maintenance product I've used is "One Time", which is supposed to last 7 years on some woods, but Ipe' ain't one of them. At least One Time didn't get black mold on it over the Winter as all the others did.

John

[John TenEyck]

hey john, would you use it on white oak Adirondack chairs?

I don't have any experience with One Time on white oak, sorry. I've used it on Ipe' and red mulberry and both have done well. It fades over time but needs nothing more than cleaning before applying a new coat. In full disclosure, One Time is not an oil, it's a 100% solids acrylic that cures by exposure to UV light from the sun. But like an oil, it goes into the wood, no chance of peeling, etc. Unlike an oil, there's no chance of mold growing on it. OK, I'd try it on white oak because every true oil finish I've tried fails.

John

[David Zaret]

alright, thanks john. maybe i'll give it a try. nothing to lose, really, given that there's not a wonderful answer otherwise.

-- dz

[John TenEyck]

i've used Penefin oils and Cabot Australian Timber Oil on various projects. Neither of them lasted more than a few years (full hot sun) but they looked OK. Better than spar varnish.

I'd call a few years a complete success. I've never had an exterior oil last more than a few months before substantially fading and mold started growing on it during the first Winter.

It's time for me to mention, again, that the best outdoor finish is a cover. After I got tired of rehabbing the Epifanes varnish on an outdoor bench, I put a cover over it and only uncover it when I want to use it. Before the cover it would need rehabbing every two years. It's been 5 years since I put the cover on it and the finish looks perfect. Keep the weather and especially the sun off and almost any finish will last a really long time.

John

[David Zaret]

I'd call a few years a complete success. I've never had an exterior oil last more than a few months before substantially fading and mold started growing on it during the first Winter.

It's time for me to mention, again, that the best outdoor finish is a cover. After I got tired of rehabbing the Epifanes varnish on an outdoor bench, I put a cover over it and only uncover it when I want to use it. Before the cover it would need rehabbing every two years. It's been 5 years since I put the cover on it and the finish looks perfect. Keep the weather and especially the sun off and almost any finish will last a really long time.

John

this requires a level of diligence that i do not currently have. but, i love the theory.

[John K Jordan]

I can't think of an oil that will last more than a couple seasons. My flat bladed shovel, and my wheelbarrow get new BLO every spring. I use the flat shovel year round, there is no room for the wheelbarrow in my garden shed, so they are both outdoors year round up here. You are far enough north I don't know of an outdoor film finish that would last more than a few seasons either. BLO is very easy to re-apply over old BLO.

I too would be delighted to at least consider an alternate product if someone else knows of one.

I also use BLO for wood exposed to elements - too handles, trailer boards, barn doors, wood furniture. Reapply every few years. I have things 10+ years old that look good. BLO does darken the wood.