Tony71 Posted April 3, 2019 Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 I live in Western Kentucky and built an outdoor kitchen. I wanted to use wood for the counter tops with a burnt finish. It looks really good but my question is what is the best thing I can do to waterproof it? Poly, varnish, etc?? I want it to look good for years of course and don't want it to warp any. I used pine for the counters because I like the way it looks with a burnt finish. I was going to use several coats of Polyurethane but was told recently it may not work as I hope. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted April 3, 2019 Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 Really, the only way it is going to stay looking new & fresh is if you don't use it & don't put it outside. Or refinish it at least yearly. Pine is not a good outdoor wood because it rots easily. And because it's so soft it will get dented & scratched very easily, which will allow moisture to more easily get to the wood. There are exterior varnishes that are UV resistant, but even they will require frequent refinishing. And that involves sanding off the old finish & applying new. Exterior oil finishes that don't form a film are easiest to apply & maintain, but they aren't great for use on surfaces that need to stand up to wear & tear. If you had used a good exterior hardwood, such as white oak, then applying a clear penetrating epoxy sealer (CPES) followed by UV resistant varnish it will look great for much longer. But again, refinishing is inevitable & would need to be done at least every couple of years. Sorry to be such a downer, but it is what it is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted April 4, 2019 Report Share Posted April 4, 2019 @drzaius is correct. My suggestion would be to apply several coats of an inexpensive marine / spar varnish, and see how long it lasts. Chances are, the pine will warp and crack before the finish peels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony71 Posted April 4, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2019 Shoot, wish I would've found this forum prior to putting the work into this. I'll plan on refinishing every year and see how long it lasts. When it's time to replace I'll go with a different wood. Thanks for the input! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted April 4, 2019 Report Share Posted April 4, 2019 I was going to go with the epoxy suggestion, maybe like a bartop epoxy, but even so, with use, abuse and exposure this will have a limited life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G Ragatz Posted April 6, 2019 Report Share Posted April 6, 2019 Tony, You might want to take a look at this: http://www.penofin.com/wood-stains/ultra-premium-red-label-wood-stain I read about one of the company's related products in a woodworking magazine article about an outdoor furniture build. I contacted the company to ask about softwood applications, and they recommended the "Red Label" product. I abandoned the project I had in mind, so never used it - so, unfortunately, no first-hand experience. One of the attractions was that you're supposed to be able to refresh the finish without stripping/sanding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coop Posted April 6, 2019 Report Share Posted April 6, 2019 2 hours ago, G Ragatz said: Tony, You might want to take a look at this: http://www.penofin.com/wood-stains/ultra-premium-red-label-wood-stain I read about one of the company's related products in a woodworking magazine article about an outdoor furniture build. I contacted the company to ask about softwood applications, and they recommended the "Red Label" product. I abandoned the project I had in mind, so never used it - so, unfortunately, no first-hand experience. One of the attractions was that you're supposed to be able to refresh the finish without stripping/sanding. It would be great to get some feedback on this product. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bankstick Posted April 7, 2019 Report Share Posted April 7, 2019 Be sure to finish the bottom, too. IMHO, this might not be a good idea but need to be replaced in a short time. BTW, used to live in central KY. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin-IT Posted April 8, 2019 Report Share Posted April 8, 2019 Can you fun-lattened it to prevent water from staying on it ? I have used australian timber oil finish (the version with the plain cover, not the blue cover, which is not as good) on outdoor project (mostly teak or lyptus). You need to redo it 1 or 2 a season, but it is a lot easier than a film finish, which must be totally removed. All you do, is hose up the old finish to clean the surface, wait for it to dry, then re-apply the oil finish with a rag. It is not shiny like a film finish, but a lot easier to refinish (and a lot less costly than penofin). Martin 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AceHoleInOne Posted April 8, 2019 Report Share Posted April 8, 2019 If this were me. I would use and outdoor topcoat. Something that is easily renewable. The best thing you can do is devise some sort of tarp covering while not in use to keep dirt/sun and the elements off while not in use. In the wintertime, think about shrink wrapping (like they do to boats) the entire Bar top while it sleeps in winter. This would be the best way to keep it new looking for as long as possible. -Ace- 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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