Outdoor wood picnic tables/benches - how to refinish?

  • Thread starter Thread starter tardis_mom
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tardis_mom

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We have some outdoor wood picnic tables that are currently unfinished and kind of grayish from being outside for years. I would like to sand them then apply a clear polyurethane finish on them. Is that what I would use? Is there a special kind that I need? I've never done this before so any help would be great! By the way, I don't know if this matters, but the tables are in the sun pretty much all day. Thanks for your help.
If I just sand it instead of powerwashing it, will it also work?
 
Hi, since the tables were unfinished to begin with and you say they are grayish, I bet they may be redwood. If they were mine I would just put redwood stain on them and watch them last many more years. However, if you are determined to finish them you will find that the finish lasts only a couple of years before you have to do it again. Polyurethane will work after sanding. Good luck.
 
I am in pretty much the same situation. I am using the wood preservative that you put on sheds, but I'm rather half-hearted about it so I don't know if it's a long-term solution. If you were to *seal* the tables with varnish you would need to be sure they were completely dry, I think the wood preservative would be a better idea.
 
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