Stains and finishes for lumber outdoors? NOT preserved wood.
linnea56 (zone 5b Chicago)
last year
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cat_ky
last yearlast modified: last yearklem1
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staining wood for raised beds.
Comments (8)Hi John. You might want to try searching the forums as there is a lot of info on what materials to use for raised beds, etc. But what I have read in my raised bed research is the following: a) Use red cedar as cedar has natural anti-fungal properties that will make it last longer b) use untreated pine or another wood but expect it to only last 3 to 5 years c) treat the pine with a food-safe sealant like boiled linseed oil I am using untreated pine and pine with linseed oil because I have only found the cedar in 1" thickness. I don't know if you know this, but for a raised bed you usually want to use 2" thickness because it reduces the risk of "bowing out" which is when the pressure from the weight of the soil inside pushes the boards outward. Pine is also much cheaper. As for the dimensions, you want at least 10" of depth so that your veggies can send long roots down. Also, anything longer than 6' will bow out more. You may want to try bed that are 4X4 or 4X6 first. For my 4X6 and 4X4 beds, I bought 2X12X12 high grade pine at Lowes (14.58 each board), had them cut, used L braces and 1.5 inch deck screws (last longer). So far so good! Also remember to "level" the bed on the ground (meaning one side may be higher than the other bc of the ground so use rocks, etc. on the low side to raise it up). This will prevent water from pooling on one side and causing a wet area (that will cause problems later). Also, try looking up raised bed videos on youtube for instructions. GOOD LUCK!...See Morehardwood floor finish & stain
Comments (2)We have pretty much the exact same color trim as you - sort of an aged Chestnut stain color. If your floors are white oak, I would not stain them - leave the wood au natural (our white oak floors are natural). If you want a finish that will get more golden with age, I'd go with a clear oil based finish. If you do that, be warned, you'll have to move out for a few days after the finish is applied - it really stinks. Shellac is a great finish and it can be touched up easily, but it won't be as durable as oil. I don't like varnish finishes - to me they don't look 'historic'....See MoreBad fall down finished wood stairs: step edges down to bare wood
Comments (7)Finish: Pacific Strong, a discontinued Bona waterbased urethane finish in two coats was applied over Duracraft stain. Chipping: small 1/8th" or bigger pieces of wood individually chip out from the wood floor upon light contact by shoes, full plastic laundry basics, kitchen garbage cans.An opening is left in the floor which is blond, like bare oak. It's not flaking off as I've seen can happen with drums during refinishing, nor are their wavy lines periodically. Rather it's chipping off with contact, as when a tree limb is placed in a chipper/shredder machine outdoors. As to the stairs, well both the stain and the finish are gone on the edges of the steps (the rounded part at the stair end). Bare wood remains and is very slippery compared to the rest of the step, where stain and finish give it a rougher surface texture. You can see the difference on the step and you can feel the lack of any finish on the edges, precisely where it is needed most. We keep the house humidified and run house temp at 64 in the winter. We don't abuse our floors. Thanks for your response. In all my many years owning several homes, I have never encountered anything like this....See MoreAnother question. The best sealer/stain for treated lumber?
Comments (4)Yes...once the bark comes off, wood decks are pretty much a "Money-Pit"! >>> However...the various composites out there haven't exactly warmed my soul either...!! They have their own maintenance regimen... No matter HOW good the stain is, it does require maintenance; and, ideally...re-sanding the floor every 5-7 years. We've got Sikkens & Penofin at our store (our main lines anyway...). Two of the better ones, IMO. Still...all we can expect up here (Fargo, ND) is 2-3 years off. Treated lumber- Often prone to cracking as the treatment slowly releases. Doesn't absorb much stain either...usually! Faron...See Moreci_lantro
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