What finish for outdoor maple table?

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Hello experts

I have an outdoor table in maple wood that was untreated when it arrived this year.
I used a couple of coats of Cuprinol Ultimate Furniture Oil, because that's what I use on my teak outdoor furniture (same table and chairs for over 15 years, so seems to do a job!), and it's what I already have in the shed...

It gave a nice tactile and visual appearance. It's lovely. Trouble is that it isn't very "protective". The table sits under a grapevine and right now the grapes are ripe and the birds are in there gorging themselves. And consequently, we have purple guano that would stain the table, so I've removed the table and placed it elsewhere. (It'll be going away for winter soon anyway...)

I was thinking that it might benefit from a bit more protection. I would much prefer to stick with an oil product, because it is the least of the "binding" coatings in the sandpaper when it comes time to sand down and recoat.

I'm new to the woodwork scene, and have only just learned that you can mix your own oil/urethane varnish mix for finishing - question is whether this would be something that would be acceptable for an outdoor maple table?
Or are there any other more experienced suggestions - or maybe just sticking to oil and remove the table at this time of year is the optimum approach?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Fitzroy]

Maple species are mainly classified as Class Four - Slightly Durable. Typically Maple would not be used for outdoor furniture and taking it inside for winter is a smart move. Many film type products for external use have a disclaimer regards use on horizontal surfaces, frequent standing water is very hard to manage.

I have a bench made by a friend and he used multiple coats of yacht varnish on it, it has impressively lasted 5 years before a few of the joints are showing some water ingress and discoloration. However, it also quite a varnishy colour due to so many coats and stripping it back would be a tough task.

Sorry not much help telling you what to use but some experience that may help.

F.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Maple = non-durable. As Fitzroy suggests, it's a very poor choice for outdoor furniture with a life expectancy of five years or less in ground contact. Away from ground contact life expectancy is significantly longer, but it discolours very quickly, and goes black and mouldy. Meticulous finishing with something like yacht varnish, proven to offer very good protection would be good, plus refinishing every 6- 12 months would be a decent bet.

A better bet still would be to get the table reclassified as an indoor table ASAP and situated as newly reclassified, similarly ASAP, and appropriately finished/polished immediately after that... if at all possible. Slainte.

 

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Thanks for the great responses

I now have a similar question about Acacia. How to treat that, and is it an outdoor candidate?

Also, where can I find info about the classes of wood that were mentioned?