How to Weatherproof Wooden Furniture

Weatherproof wooden furniture to extend its life.

Outdoor furniture has come a long way since the days of plastic bands stretched across a metal frame. Much of today's outdoor furniture could easily be at home in most living rooms. While styles and materials vary, a popular choice is hardwood furniture. This makes for a beautiful and rugged chair, table or bench. However, because wood is porous, outdoor furniture made of wood requires some kind of weatherproofing.

Things You'll Need

• Bristle brush or optional pressure washer
• Rubber gloves
• Goggles
• Weatherproofing sealer
• Funnel
• Spray canister
• Drop cloth

Instructions

1. Clean wooden furniture before treating. In most cases simply brushing them off with a stiff-bristled brush is sufficient. However, a chair or table that's already been weathered to some degree may require a pressure washer. Be sure to let pressure-washed furniture dry fully before staining, about two hours.

2. Put on a pair of gloves and safety goggles then fill the spray canister with weatherproofing sealer. First, shake the stain thoroughly to mix. Then, place a funnel in the mouth of the spray canister and pour the stain/sealer into the spray canister. Be sure to screw in the top of the spray canister tight as it works on a vacuum principle. Once it is sealed, prime the pump by pulling up and down on the central lever. Stop once it becomes difficult to depress, indicating that enough air is in the canister for spraying.

3. Prep the area. Lay a large drop cloth on the ground outside. Place the wooden furniture to be sealed in the center of the drop cloth with enough room around it so that you can easily walk all the way around it to apply the sealer. Be sure to set up your work space away from any other furniture or structures.

4. Hold the nozzle of the spray canister about 6 inches from the surface of the wood and depress the handle to start spraying the sealer. Move from side to side to apply an even coat. Don't be afraid to apply the sealer heavily as most of it will be absorbed right into the wood. Let the furniture dry for one hour. Flip the furniture over and seal the remaining side. Let the entire piece dry for two hours before using.

References

• Ron Hazelton Productions: How to Protect Exterior Wood