Our handmade line of products are made with Western Red Cedar and can be left unstained without losing its strength or longevity. Western Red Cedar has been specifically chosen for our products because it holds up so well outdoors even in the harshest weather conditions.
Wood Grain: Over a long period of time if cedar is left unstained, the wood will begin to be effected by the various changing weather conditions out there. As the wood gets weathered sometimes the grain begins to lift up. To keep up the unstained piece of furniture, simply sand it as needed. Or you can leave the wood as is, if you prefer the more rustic ages or grey antique furniture look.
Wood Color: If you leave your Western Red Cedar furniture unstained, eventually the cedar will fade to a soft silver color.
If you do not want your Western Red Furniture or Planter Boxes to turn grey but want to maintain the natural color of the cedar you will have to put a finished on it that has a high UV protection rating since it is the sun that fades the cedar to silver.
When it comes to finishes for your Furniture, you have a few options. Leave it unstained to weather to a silver grey or apply one of the following products. Stain (recommended) paint, water sealer, lacquer, marine varnish, wax or linseed oil.
Just keep in mind that not all finished are created equal. Some really don’t hold up well in outdoor weather and others are not suitable for furniture.
Our furniture is treated with an oil based stain called Sun Frog and our colors are water based call Deck Scapes from Sherwin Williams. Our furniture comes ready and maintenance free for a year or maybe longer depending upon where it is located. However, they will eventually require your attention to remain as attractive as when you bought them.
You have a few options each spring to keep your furniture looking great. You can either apply an easy fresh coat of stain each spring to keep it new looking year round or you can wait till your finished begins to fade and refinish it completed at that time.
Keeping your Western Red Cedar Furniture looking brand new is easy, it just requires a simple annual upkeep with minimal labor.
We recommend using Sun Frog Deck Sealer in a cedar tone. You can find a local retailer at www.sunfrog.com or purchase it on line at that site. Stains are a way to go if you want your furniture easy to care for. The advantage of stain, unlike paint, it will not peel or bubble and gradually fades over time. Thus simple to keep it looking great year after year.
Clean your furniture off to remove dust and dirt and let dry completely before applying stain. Do not use a pressure washer as the wood fibers can be irreversibly damaged.
Apply the stain according to the manufactures directions for the best finish in a well ventilated area.
If you wait a few years before refinishing your furniture, you will have a bit more work to do to get that beautiful finish back. So be on top of it each Spring.