# Best finish for new pine garden table



## Adam Sanders (3 Jul 2020)

Hey woodworkers

I'm looking for some advice for a good finish for a garden table I'm building. 

The project is super simple and almost ready for sanding and finishing. The top is made from brand new scaffold boards (assuming pine) planed and joined using inlaid metal c channels to (hopefully) keep it all flat. The legs are prefabbed black powder coated steel.

Question is, what finish should I go for on the table top?

Ideally, it would be good to make the pine look a bit less cheap  but not very dark. A light oak would be ace.

Also needs to be good outdoors all year round, provide some UV protection, durability and be easy enough to apply. 

I tried a few samples of the Osmo UV protection oil before reading you're not supposed to use it on horizontal surfaces.  

The samples looked nice but didn't really seem all that durable. The soft pine still looked like it would take a beating from the two little monsters, sorry, kids!

Can anyone recommend something suitable?

TIA (homer)


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## mrpercysnodgrass (4 Jul 2020)

I have just made an exterior wall mounted letter box for the mother in law and used Treatex "bay" as she wanted a medium oak colour. It went on very easily and has given the oak a very nice warm colour. I think it would work well on a pine tabletop too and to get the oil on eavenly it would be best to work it well with a sponge roller. It does need 12 hour between coats so you will need a warm dry couple of days.

https://www.treatex.co.uk/exterior-oils


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## custard (4 Jul 2020)

I've been working on an old wooden boat recently, Pine on Oak frames, built in 1947.

Judging on how sound the timbers are I'd simply recommend scraping down every year or two and regular applications of varnish!


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## That would work (4 Jul 2020)

custard":2sz5dxyr said:


> I've been working on an old wooden boat recently, Pine on Oak frames, built in 1947.
> 
> Judging on how sound the timbers are I'd simply recommend scraping down every year or two and regular applications of varnish!


Agreed. A tin of International yacht varnish is the business.


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## robgul (5 May 2022)

Just wondered what the OP ended up doing - and the results/experience.

I'm making what sounds like a similar OUTDOOR table, 2.4 x 1m, using new scaffold boards sanded, joined with biscuits (for location/alignment), waterproof glue, pocket hole screws on the underside and 4 wooden stretchers screwed on across underneath - and a flush cross piece about 5cm wide on each eand to conceal the board ends - with all edges, top and bottom, rounded over - and a "drip groove" routed all round underneath about 2cm from the adge. Legs are industrial style steel, powder coated. Matching bench with 2 boards with a 1cm gap between them - ditto roundovers etc.

I want a walnut or medium oak sort of colour - and durability. The plan is that from, say, Easter to end September it will be exposed and for the remainder of the year covered with a waterproof sheet of some sort (with the legs propped up on one side so that there's a fall for the water to run off)

There's so much about dos and don'ts with finishes that it's hard to know what to do or believe - hence seeking experiences.


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## Jameshow (5 May 2022)

There was a test done on here with all the regular wood stains.... 

Sadolin, silken ronseal etc...









Sadolin Ultra vs Sadolin Classic vs Sikkens Filter 7 Plus


A previous test set up in 2012 compared Osmo UV Oil and Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 Plus on Iroko, and it was not long before Sikkens showed its class. But would that be the same on other species of wood? And how would it compare with Sadolin? That's what this new test is set up to establish...




www.ukworkshop.co.uk


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## Jacob (5 May 2022)

Paint. Probably every year.
I've been using linseed oil paints which are pricey by the tin but have very high coverage and easy to apply - has to be brushed out thin. It touches up nicely as it doesn't breakdown or peel. Just needs a wash down before repainting.


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## robgul (6 May 2022)

Jameshow said:


> There was a test done on here with all the regular wood stains....
> 
> Sadolin, silken ronseal etc...
> 
> ...




Ah - that's very interesting James, thanks - I shall peruse in detail and look at the product sheets from the manufacturers. The one thing that concerns me is that the major surfaces are horizontal and thus rain doesn't run off in quite the same way as a vertical surface (as in the experimental rig) - Owatrol has been suggested as being suitable for horizontal applications??

With reference to "paint" in the immediateley previous post I'm really wanting a more natural/see the grain finish.


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## Jacob (6 May 2022)

robgul said:


> ....
> 
> With reference to "paint" in the immediateley previous post I'm really wanting a more natural/see the grain finish.


Well you would for a year or so but they would revert to looking like old scaffold boards under brown varnish.


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## robgul (7 May 2022)

After some research and discussion with very helpful man in Brewers (his advice in the past has always been sound) I've gone for Sadolin 2 shot oil-based treatment - in African Walnut - Classic & Extra


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## Jameshow (7 May 2022)

robgul said:


> After some research and discussion with very helpful man in Brewers (his advice in the past has always been sound) I've gone for Sadolin 2 shot oil-based treatment - in African Walnut - Classic & Extra


Do you have a link?


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## robgul (7 May 2022)

Brewers - national chain of paint and decorating merchants - Brewers Decorator Centres - the trade decorator's choice – paints, wallpapers, tools & supplies - massive range of stuff - paint, stain, varnish, wallpaper, brushes, tools etc. - nearest to you is probably Leeds.

Sadolin Classic Wood Protection Matt (Ready Mixed) 5L for first coat 
Sadolin Extra Durable Woodstain Semi-Gloss (Ready Mixed) 5L for second coat (following day recommended) - and if I have enough I'll do a second, second coat (i.e. third)

There is also a water -based one-pot Sadolin which would be about half the price - but as it's a horizontal surface I opted for oil based as being potentially more resilient in the rain.

I've used the Sadolin Classic before - in black for a weathrboarded house I owned in Essex about 40 years ago and for a shed about 20 years ago - both lasted for ages.


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## Jameshow (7 May 2022)

robgul said:


> Brewers - national chain of paint and decorating merchants - Brewers Decorator Centres - the trade decorator's choice – paints, wallpapers, tools & supplies - massive range of stuff - paint, stain, varnish, wallpaper, brushes, tools etc. - nearest to you is probably Leeds.
> 
> Sadolin Classic Wood Protection Matt (Ready Mixed) 5L for first coat
> Sadolin Extra Durable Woodstain Semi-Gloss (Ready Mixed) 5L for second coat (following day recommended) - and if I have enough I'll do a second, second coat (i.e. third)
> ...


That's what I've used on our lodge hoping it's durable although not a high build stain..


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## robgul (7 May 2022)

Jameshow said:


> View attachment 135275
> 
> That's what I've used on our lodge hoping it's durable although not a high build stain..



That's a bit harsh painting the dog as well - I'm sure it would have preferred a more fetching colour


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## morqthana (13 May 2022)

Jacob said:


> Well you would for a year or so but they would revert to looking like old scaffold boards under brown varnish.


Like what happened to sleepers some years ago, old scaffold boards now cost more than new ones.

Personally I would always avoid anything which lies on the surface, i.e. paint or varnish, and always go for something that penetrates.


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## morqthana (13 May 2022)

robgul said:


> Sadolin Classic Wood Protection Matt (Ready Mixed) 5L for first coat
> Sadolin Extra Durable Woodstain Semi-Gloss (Ready Mixed) 5L for second coat (following day recommended) - and if I have enough I'll do a second, second coat (i.e. third)


And for the 0th coat, a few days before the first one, a clear, solvent based preservative?



robgul said:


> There is also a water -based one-pot Sadolin which would be about half the price


Half price when allowing for still doing 2 coats?

I've got similar questions, but for vertical surfaces, but I won't hijack this.


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## morqthana (13 May 2022)

Adam Sanders said:


> Ideally, it would be good to make the pine look a bit less cheap  but not very dark. A light oak would be ace.


Bear in mind that with the "UV protection" from a non-opaque treatment, pine will still go darkish/goldenish/yellowish/orangeish/honeyish after a few years.


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## robgul (13 May 2022)

robgul said:


> After some research and discussion with very helpful man in Brewers (his advice in the past has always been sound) I've gone for Sadolin 2 shot oil-based treatment - in African Walnut - Classic & Extra



I've now finished the table and bench using the recommended products - the first coat certainly penetrated the timber, I've done one coat of the top so far - it needs a light de-nib and then I'll get another topcoat. I've got the rustic look I'm after - we'll see how it goes with the weather - it'll be outside, uncovered until late September and then just covered with a plastic sheet for the winter (with one side propped up to tip the water off)

It's a BIG table 2.4 x 1.1m (widest I could get in my sash cramps!) - glued with biscuits to locate, pocket hole screws and 5 stretchers underneath.


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## morqthana (16 May 2022)

I like the fencing - what is it?


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## robgul (16 May 2022)

morqthana said:


> I like the fencing - what is it?


It's just 19 x 38 treated lath/tile batten - the existing fence was slotted concrete posts and waney edge panels. I fixed vertical battens to the concete posts (SDS drill required!) and to the intermediates on the fence panels. Battens fixed with staples from a battery nail gun, using bits of 12mm plywood as spacers as I went along with the gun. The top and bottom rails were screwed on just for a bit of extra fixing.

A LOT of timber and a LOT of staples (fence run was about 20m althogether - I'm saving up to the other side of the garden that has featheredge which is OK, but not as smart.

The lath is getting harder to find in the natural colour (I got mine from a fencing merchant) as builders merchants now only seem to stock the painted roof battens.

... and some pix (the pattern on the fence is the camera!!


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## Jameshow (16 May 2022)

robgul said:


> It's just 19 x 38 treated lath/tile batten - the existing fence was slotted concrete posts and waney edge panels. I fixed vertical battens to the concete posts (SDS drill required!) and to the intermediates on the fence panels. Battens fixed with staples from a battery nail gun, using bits of 12mm plywood as spacers as I went along with the gun. The top and bottom rails were screwed on just for a bit of extra fixing.
> 
> A LOT of timber and a LOT of staples (fence run was about 20m althogether - I'm saving up to the other side of the garden that has featheredge which is OK, but not as smart.
> 
> ...


What's wrong with a pink fence!!!


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## robgul (16 May 2022)

Jameshow said:


> What's wrong with a pink fence!!!



Black is better! - this was the first go at the batten fence at the front of the house - picture taken at Christmas with our seasonal cut-outs (we have Easter & Rembrance Sunday too!)


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## Jameshow (16 May 2022)

Pink seems to be the choice for preservative these days!!


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## Jacob (20 May 2022)




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## Sgian Dubh (20 May 2022)

Jacob said:


>



Just beautiful. I admire the skill, artistry and craftsmanship. I especially enjoyed the the encouragement and helpful artistic commentary and input from his female helper. Slainte.


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