20 Best Wood Finish For Outdoors (2023 Updated)

I bought when I discovered my 15 year old can of Varathane Diamond had turned to gel. The store didn’t have interior (there used to be only one) and I though “how different can it be?”. Well. it means it when it says not for interior.

I put it on a stair railing and the results are awful. It doesn’ t flow and self level like my previous experiences with Varathane Diamond Coat. Does anyone want 9/10 of a litre of this stuff? I have no use for it.

2 stars because it does say that it’s not for interior, I wouldn’t be happy with the results even on an exterior item.

Great product when applied correctly. Nice clear, hard finish. Easy soap and water clean up. Applying multiple thin coats is best for a smooth finish and prevents seeing brush strokes. This finish dries quickly so DON’T overbrush or you will see brush strokes.

The product itself is great. I love this brand so much. I use it on woodburnings and it doesn’t change the color of the wood and is easy to apply. It will last a good while as well. There was just a rather large shortage of varnishes to choose from when I bought this – hence the 4 star.

Normally I use the indoor kind for my wood art but they were completely out of stock.

I purchased this product because I was in the process of building some shop cabinets for my wood shop. Our house has a stone foundation so moisture is always present and has caused serious problems with other materials in the past.

I chose the spar urethane because of its claims to work well in damp/wet environments. Pros: 1. It gets applied like most other finishes. it went on easy with a cheap bristle brush and laid down fairly smooth.

Make sure to mix the container thoroughly as there was a film at the bottom of mine. 2. The product had a slight yellow tint to it. I personally think it really brought out the character of the plywood but others may not be impressed.

you to make your own determination on that Cons: 1. I started using this in my garage and the smell spread through much of the house. I quickly discontinued my application and waited for a nice day to move the items outside.

2. The product seemed to take longer to dry than indicated on the can. I was surprised since the majority of my work was outdoors in the open air during moderate temperatures. Definitely give yourself a few extra hours for dry time from what is recommended by the manufacturer.

3. I seemed to have an issue with the finish getting a clear white haze to it. It was just in a few spots and I assume it was based on surface prep. Other notes: I was wearing a pair of cheap vinyl gloves while coating.

It seems like there was a chemical reaction with the product as they quickly began falling apart. I changed to a pair of nitrile gloves bought here on amazon and didn’t have an issue. Final Thoughts: I have another round of shop cabinet builds on the horizon so as long as it holds up I will definitely use the product again.

So for the most part it is a great product that works well !.

I have been using Helmsman Spar Urethane satin finish on most of my yard decorations such as birdhouses, nail kegs, flower cart, antique laundry tub and the list goes on. A great product, it helps protect from sun, rain and snow damage.

I apply every spring with a paintbrush, it goes on clear and dries with barely any sheen and the best part is no yellowing. I took it a step further and applied it to an antique soda cooler, a full size floor model made from wood and glass.

Why you ask? The cooler had the original paint which was worn, chipped and flaking. I wanted to preserve this antique finish but just looking at the cooler would cause tiny paint chips to fall off and make a mess.

More importantly, it was slowly ruining the look. For this project I purchased the spray can version and am happy to report that it has sealed the paint finish, chips and all preserving the look. I can now use it outside during the summer months as a beverage cooler without any worries.

Highly recommend this product!.

I was excited to get my Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane to apply to my wooden bench outside. This wood varnish seems to be made with high quality ingredients and dries nicely. The varnish reduces the fading effects of the sun and forms a protective layer on the wood to protect against moisture.

It helps to keep the wood on your outdoor (or even indoor) features looking their best! The Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane claims to protect the natural beauty of the wood and I think it’s mostly true as it does give the wood a yellowish tint but it protects the wood, keeping it looking great! I initially wanted to apply the varnish to my deck, however the Minwax website says that they do not recommend using this product on wooden floors, therefore, I opted to apply it to my bench in the yard instead.

I would recommend the Minwax Spar Urethane varnish to anyone looking to protect their outdoor wooden features that are exposed to sunlight and weather!.

I have high hopes for this Tung oil. I have an antique sewing machine that was my grandmother’s and I tried it on the bottom of a drawer. I have before and after photos and I’m impressed with the result.

It’s supposed to penetrate and protect the wood. You can add additional layers after each one dries for a glossier effect. I think this would be great for older pieces or wood that has dried and needs to be rejuvenated.

You can either wipe it on with the grain or brush it on. If you use a brush it will need to be cleaned with mineral spirits. I simply wiped with the grain using a microfiber cloth similar to applying a stain.

I’m very excited to complete the sewing machine and use on a few other heirloom pieces I have. I think they’ll look newer and I love the added protection. It does state that you can reapply on down the road as necessary as the wood will absorb the oil.

I have a beautiful teak outdoor table that has been starting to look worn and I applied two coats of Miniwax Tung oil finish to it and and couldn’t be happier!! The oil penetrated quickly into the wood and it looks and feels like it now has a waterproof finish to it.

It was nice that the wood didnt darken when I applied the oil to the table. The table actually has a few stains on it and the Tung oil basically made them disappear! The table looks brand new even though it probably about 10 years old! The Miniwax Tung oil was very easy to apply, the smell was not offensive and cleanup was a breeze.

Definitely would recommend this easy to use product!!.

Minwax Tung Oil Finish is the best you can buy for your projects. I recently used it on a 180 year old rocking chair after stripping multiple coats of paint from and cleaning. By applying over 15 coats and lightly sanding between each, the chair looks as if it was just created.

With proper preparation and following the directions, the product will provide the best quality end result possible. Clean up is easy with mineral spirits. There is minimal odor, though all tung oil has an odor, but wood workers and restoration people like me enjoy it.

I highly recommend Minwax Tung Oil for a lasting protective finish on your wood projects.

Applying to exterior mahogany doors. to prevent moisture and sun damage. Fast delivery and great price from Jet. McCloskey MOW spar varnish is very popular for people trying to protect boats and among woodworkers and finishers.

I got online and researched the reviews which were mostly very positive. I also bought a woodworking book and went by their directions for applying MOW. You have to let the MOW dry for 24 hours ans sand (400grit) between coats and the temp and humidity have to be watched for the best results.

The doors are beautiful with the MOW satin finish. I need to let the doors go thru a summer and winter and give you a report how MOW holds up.

I LOVE this product. Unfortunately, I purchased it at $65/gal last time and the price increased $20/gal. I need a minimum of 10G to spray my Florida fence each year. It just doesn’t hold in the Fl heat and weather.

It’s gorgeous but I think it’s too pricey at this point. I’m going to look for other options next spray ??.

*I second Canuck’s review:* This stuff goes on like shaving cream, that’s how many bubbles it creates. And no, I did not shake it or use it in any way other than directed. I used a bristle brush and although it hasn’t dried yet, I got the impression it was clinging to the bristles, after a directed water clean up.

I now have a terrible mess to clean up and hope I can put a quality oil based varnish on top of it, after a few hours of sanding this junk off. It dries in about 1/2 an hour to the extent that you can no longer brush the bubbles out.

For me, the more you roll, the foamier it gets? It’s like whipped cream. Brushing doesn’t work either.

I have used this product for years and loved it – never any problems, easy to use. It’s been five or so years, but I recently bought more. It is absolute garbage. It won’t lay down flat. I always used a foam brush to avoid brush strokes.

Now a foam brush just produces bubbles everywhere. Even with a bristle brush it tends to bubble and build up in any crevices there are. The instructions say not to over brush it but you have to in order to remove the buildup, otherwise it won’t dry “crystal clear” I have already had to strip a couple of pieces and start over.

Very disappointed. Has the formula changed due to environmental reg’s? If this is the way it is now, I don’t see myself ever using it again.

In the past I’ve used latex primers, alkyd primers and other recommended wood sealer/primers to prep for outdoor painting and have seen the effects of weather on my exterior home projects including porches and railings.

The last bunch of years i’ve been using Flood CWF-UV water based as either a sealer without paint and as a primer under exterior latex paint. One project was a raised boardwalk made of treated 2×6 lumber.

The Flood held up under traffic and the paint stayed on nicely. I just go with the Flood now. It seems to penetrate better than the primers. The natural dries slightly yellowish. If I get drips I can see the runs but it always dries perfectly.

I’m no expert but I much prefer the Flood for exterior wood projects now.

This is the 2nd time I’ve used this product (CWF Flood Cedar) on our cedar deck. The result with 2 rolled on coats is always amazing. We live in the Pacific Northwest, the weather from rain is often brutal.

Our deck is into the woods and moss grows heavily during the fall and spring months. It’s been two years since applying the First run of CWF, and with light power washes in between for moss removal, this product has stood the test.

I do a wet on wet application, this seems to work especially well. My deck is 200sq ft. And used exactly 1 gal. (Not sparingly) with all coats overlapping as I roll. Truly happy again with this product and will use forever of the duration of this deck going forward.

Proven over time and Money well spent!.

I didn’t need nearly as much as was recommended, and at this price, that was frustrating. The color is nice, but not incredible. It remains to be seen how well it holds up to the elements. Additional coats didn’t seem to do much while wet, tacky, nor dry, and some spots came out under penetrated despite multiple attempts to coat.

I liked that it was soap and water cleanup. I got this because it is supposed to have better uv resistance than the waterproofer, but this doesn’t really seem to waterproof the same way the waterproofer does.

The texture after painting was rough. It does have a smell, but it’s not everwhelming and it didn’t **** my chickens while I was painting, but they did make a lot of noise.

I bought this to test in comparison with the Vermont Natural Coatings Waterproofer with juniper for a screened porch with exposed wood framing. This product gave a prettier finish, but we went with the waterproofer because it was non-film forming, gave the appearance of bare wood, and is supposedly better for stabilizing exterior wood.

If you want more of a ‘finished’ look and don’t mind a film forming clear coat that may need to be sanded before reapplication, this is a good choice. No harsh smells. Very pleased with the this brand.

Thin and quite watery. This makes it hard to apply to vertical surfaces without runs. Also hard to apply and not create bubbles. You can try applying it very thinly but then it dries almost instantly.

I have antiques and older furniture. I used to do all of my furniture once a year with teak oil. I highly recommend it for all wood furniture. I wasnt able to for 5 years because of some health issues.

My ac in my apt ,as the temps were 98 and 107 with the heat index and high humidity and rain, went out and by the time it was fixed, I had mold. I used mild remediation products, and was able to get that taken care of but my furniture needed some tlc.

This works so well and you wont believe how great your furniture will look!! Antiques can mold easily in high temps and humidity, just because its old. This keeps a good oil barrier against moisture.

I will be going back to doing it at least once a year as able. Just use a soft cloth, I imused an old soft towel,or a sponge. Another benefit, it smells good. I hope this helps someone. Its mindblowing the difference it akes to any wood item, and furniture, doors, etc.

I think you too would be very pleased with this product. Im giving it 5 stars.

A1 Service! Comparable prices. Not necessary to shop the big box stores. I much prefer the old fashioned customer service Aubuchon delivers.

My father made me some cedar outdoor furniture about 15 years ago, he’d told me to clean it each spring and use some Thompson water seal. I didn’t do this every year and the furniture was in dire need if more care, he passed away 7 years ago.

Did a search, found that rosewood oil was the best, did another search and found teak oil would work and was available. I’m getting ready to put the pieces back together and I’m so happy with the beautiful wood finish.

This is a definite must have.

After HOURS and hours of research on what to purchase to touch up the teak on our boat, this is what a marine specialist recommended to me and I am very happy that I went with this product. Application was easy, and after 3 coats this stuff looks absolutely amazing.

We were shocked at the results. After 2 coats, we were a little iffy on how dull it appeared, but that third coat left it with the perfect gloss, and our wood looks phenomenal! SUPER happy with this purchase, and as long as it holds up well, this will be my go to product for our boat!.

This is a great product recommended to me by the lumber company I purchased my IPE wood deck materials from. East application with lasting luster for beautiful hardwoods. Ordering through DIY is super helpful as this product is hard to find in brick n mortar stores.

This is my second year using Ipe Oil on my ipe deck just completed last year in MN. I chose Ipe to avoid mold and rot because the deck extends from the north of my home into a wooded area where it’ll remain cool and moist.

The deck build took two seasons so the wood was oxydized. After a vigorous power washing and a weeks drying I applied Ipe Oil with two micro fiber rags. It absorbed well in most places and wiped off easy.

It looked great! Over winter it oxydized much less and only in highly sunned spots. This year I power washing was less vigorous and the wood looks like new. To maintain that fresh wood look in similar conditions, this is a good product.

Oh, and decks direct are good peeps. I purchased my balusters from them and my parents just purchased aluminum railings through them. Their warehouse is local and we stopped down for an exchange (my fault).

They were very accommodating.

I restore antique mahogany Chris Crafts. This varnish is the easiest spar varnish I have used giving fine results. But 48 hours in the Florida summer heat is not enough time to sand between coats without the semi cured, but completely dry, varnish to roll up under the sand paper.

Increases the time and effort between coats by quite a bit. Rustoleum solve this problem and you will have the great varnish. Makes me not want to use this again. Too bad because I love the ease of use and results.

I purchased the varnish to seal fresh wood cookies that were first treated with the wood preservative Pentacryl to construct a nature path. I like that it brought out the wood grain; but it took 3-4 coats to do it.

It also requires some drying time in between coats. Considering the absorption of fresh wood and the size of my project, it took 6 cans. The cost of the varnish, Pentacryl and brush supplies got a little pricey but I think the results will be worth it, when I finally get the path laid.

I also used it on my porch swing and wood trim around my kitchen bar and cabinets. The varnish left a high gloss finish on my indoor projects but considering the outdoor was un-sanded fresh wood it turned out the way I wanted because I didn’t want the wood to be slick when walked on.

My only complaint, I never found it in the gallon size and had to re-order twice to get my projects finished.

Received the product sooner than stated. Had used a similar product before but this one seemed very thin/watery, so a bit messy. Easy to apply, need to move quickly to avoid overlapping and uneven coat.

Drying time required is more like 1-2 days in between coats to allow it to dry without being tacky as you will need to sand lightly between coats. A lesson to remember, do not try to correct missed areas when still wet, does not adhere neatly and is visible.

Even with my flaws, the result should look nice for an outdoor table and durable once completed.

We purchased 5 five-gallon buckets of this wood finish to treat 2 privacy fences that were recently pressure washed. After rolling for an afternoon, we decided to get an airless sprayer to complete the rest of the work.

This wood finish sprayed on well. It still looks pretty good after a few months. The neighbors behind the first fence we did compliment us on it and said they were planning on washing and staining their fence now also.

I wish this wood finish worked in one coat, rather than needed a follow-up coat so the fence doesn’t look blotchy. I would recommend using an airless sprayer with the product if you are putting on more than a gallon.

The only thing that disappointed me was that the buckets don’t have a built-in pop-out spout to aid in pouring. I have purchased 5-gallon paint buckets before from other manufacturers that have a little spout that pops out.

You need to buy an extra spout if you want to easily pour this product into a paint tray or sprayer bottle.

I am a (frustrated) amateur when it comes to staining wood. I have tried a half dozen different stains, and was not especially satisfied with any of them (not Behr products). However, THIS one is the only one to totally satisfy me with regards to ease of use, ease of clean-up, and beauty of finished product.

I have used the cedar naturaltone and the redwood. I used the stains to treat plain pine wood for raised garden beds and it worked perfectly. The beds look like more expensive wood at a fraction of the cost.

They are protected from water, sun damage, and mildew (OK, confession: mildew is not much of a problem here in Arizona!) I highly recommend this product, though I can’t comment on its durability yet as I’ve only used it for the last 2 months.