Marie & Slowmedown, please, I have a question on using wood outdoors for the base for mosaics outdoors. First, as Slowmedown already knows, Marie, I do not mosaic whatsoever. In your post above Marie, you specifically say "never mosaic to wood for outdoor use." I am not challenging either of your knowledge of mosaics in the least and definitely not yours Slowmedown, you know for a fact your mosaics just intrigue me, but just the other day on the Country Style show I saw a segment where a gal used a piece of plywood atop an outdoor table and then she used glass/china plates and mosaic'd the top, then grouted it. The table was used on an outdoor porch in the open, not protected from the elements by a roof or anything else. Just curious as to why some use wood outdoors and others swear not to use it. I assume the answer is that the wood can be affected by rain and summer heat and warp or crack, thus ruining the grout and destroying the piece. Especially plywood since it is only pieces of wood pressured together to form it. Is that correct? I ask because I found a round metal outdoor table base last year and then found the perfect size piece of round plywood for the top. Again, I don't mosaic with glass/plates but I would like to use the glass half marbles and make a design on the plywood top, using GE Silicone II glue for the marbles and then use a premixed grout I got at Home Depot. My table would be somewhat protected from the rain and sun by a huge outdoor umbrella. I also have a tempered piece of round glass that is just a bit short of fitting the table base top. Would it just be best for me to half marble the glass table top and not have the worry of whether the plywood would be ruined in the elements and destroy the half marble design? Is there a specific type of outdoor grout you would recommend? Thanking you in advance for your advice. Sal

I was advised to use a 'color enhancing stone sealer' from any reputable brand. I bought a pint of what they had at Lowes (about $35.00). It goes a long way and needs to be spread very thinly. It's been on several months on the back (rough) side of granite cut offs I'm putting down for a patio. Looks good, brings out the color (it all looked like raw concrete before but in our heavy dew climate I couldn't have the polished side 'up'). I'll try to post some pix when I finish later this month. I've probably coated 75-90 square feet so far and have more left. Let us know what you do and how it turns out. Nice looking as it is.

I would suggest using something like HD-80 to strip off all of the old finish, and start from scratch. If you keep up with the finish every year or so, when it first starts to loose its luster, then touch it up the finish will stay looking new much longer. There are several different types of product out there to choose from, one with a higher amount of resin in it, will last longer, and one with a higher amount of pigment will offer more protection from the sun, and its harmful rays. If you have any questions I would be happy to tell you all that I know.

I agree not all granite counters need sealing, and some look horrible from sealing. I speak from experience. Two kitchens ago I had honed Absolute Black counters. The fabricator applied sealant when he installed, which I later learned showed a lack of understanding on the fabricator's part. Absolute Black is I think the most dense countertop stone out there. The sealant did not get absorbed, and was a film on top of the counters. It streaked, was hazy, and sometimes dirt would get under the sealer - the analogy is nail polish where dirt might get under right at the nail's edge, and you have to remove the polish to get the nail clean. I had the fabricator come back and remove the sealant, and then the counter looked great, except AB is so solid black it showed every particle of dust, but that has nothing to do with sealing or not. I love granite counters, and plan to have them in my new kitchen, and I plan to get a dense granite, though not Absolute Black. The idea of Virginia Mist with its spun sugar like a fairy dusted it is so beautiful appeals to me and is a leading contender.