Finishing your Cedar Furniture

Western Red Cedar
Western Red Cedar in its natural unfinished state has a richly textured tactile grain combined with a glowing palette of warm, mellow tones ranging from light amber to deep honey brown. No man-made material can duplicate the depth of cedar's natural luster. Western Red Cedar remains subtly aromatic, and the characteristic fragrance of Red Cedar just adds another dimension to its universal appeal. Among all the softwood species, Western Red Cedar is considered to have the very best finish-retention features. The most important characteristics of Western Red Cedar that contribute to its exceptional ability to accept and retain many different types of finishes are its outstanding dimensional stability, fine texture, a pattern of growth that results in narrow bands of summerwood, and freedom from pitch and resin.

Natural Weathering
Because of the inherent nature of Western Red Cedar to withstand the outdoor elements and insect attack cedar does not require a finish to keep its structure over the years. Many folks prefer to allow their cedar furniture to "naturally age" outdoors without any finish at all and achieve that weathered, rustic look. Over time the colorful tones of the wood will weather to a handsome silver-grey highlighted by darker streaks, and the grain of the wood will become slightly raised.

Wood Sealer
A good wood sealer such as Thompson's Wood Sealer is useful by blocking the pores of the wood. This inhibits the grain from becoming raised yet allowing the natural fading to a gentle silvery-grey color.

Staining
Red Cedar accepts a wide range of stains in your choice of tinted transparent finishes for a natural effect, or lightly pigmented semi-transparent finishes. The latter are available in a spectrum of colors. We recommend 2 coats of a semi transparent stain such as " Sikkens Cetol 1 (natural) to preserve the handsome look of your furniture. Every 2nd year you might re-apply a coat of stain to freshen the finish. Little or no sanding, preparation or primer is needed when you use a stain. Look for a stain that offers good fungicide and ultraviolet shielding properties as well as additional preservatives to protect your cedar furniture's youthful complexion. Varnishes and other film-forming coatings which can crack and peel are not recommended for use on Cedar.

Wood Oil
We do not recommend using oil finishes on your outdoor furniture, as dust particles in the air will stick to the finish.

Paint
Paint will work fine but like on any exterior surface, over time will begin to flake and will eventually need scraping and refinishing. Stain, however, is "breathable" and will not trap moisture, therefore - no blistering, no peeling.

Ground Application
Western Red Cedar should be preservative treated if intended for use in applications where it is dug into the ground. i.e. Fence Posts, Landscape Ties or Garden Arbor Posts.