Exterior Wood Finishes - What I Use

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I have been asked so many times about what I use for exterior wood finishes so I thought I'd do a walkthrough of the different finishes I have used over the years and what the results are over time. Some are good, and some I would never use again...

[@montycantsin8861]

I'm dying laughing! The PBR, "gimme the chemicals", dumping on the hippies. Lol. Love ya, Man!!!

[@-WoodyVT-]

I've used epiphanes marine varnish for some of my outdoor projects. Just thin it down, and applied a few coats. I've had a bench that sits in the sun all day, and deals with harsh VT winters. Looks as good as it did when I made it! Oh, and I live the heart of "hippie heaven" in Southern Vermont. I could crack a few beers and stories about all of the bare foot, prius driving Bernie bros I've had to deal with. Never gets old. Cheers!

[@sknight13602]

Just want to say that I appreciate you still posting videos regardless of what happens in your comment sections. Lots of subscribers learn from these videos and dont bother to read the comments or write them keep up the good work. ( I wanted to thank you for this video and started reading the comment section, Ive never read your comment section before as an example)

[@stillawake76]

For cedar decks I have had great results with Cutek Extreme. For vertical cedar surfaces, or cedar furniture Penofin Red Label is my go-to. Both are oil-based brush-on, wipe off & have fungicide additives to keep mould from starting. Don’t use bleach to wash those chairs. Hydrogen peroxide & water with a brush is the way to go.

[@frbrable]

I used Penofin Red on some cedar siding in the PNW and it was covered with mildew within a year.

[@BradleyMakesThings]

So I’ve only done one full time outdoor project so far - I used a Low VOC version of Cabot Australian Timber Oil on a redwood sign with a mortise and tenon frame. (don’t have a lot of cedar in my area so we use a lot of redwood). Sign has been there 3.5 years and I drive by every once in a while and it looks just about the same as it did when I installed it. So far pretty pleased. For anyone reading, have a few videos on making that sign on my channel.

[@jandouwedeboer2229]

Not to surprising that a Dutch paint manufacturer (Sikkens) will make your wood look Orange 😉

[@robfletcher3426]

Bohdi 1971 haha

[@luckym0nk3y]

Dat is eigenlijk een goeie opmerking!

[@sylvainbosse1344]

I gave up on exterior wood finishes a long time ago. Today, I use only rot resistant wood species (like cedar) with no finish at all. The wood will turn grey (I actually like the greyish color), and will last almost as long as with any wood finish available today. No staining. No sanding. No cleaning. Just enjoy.

[@srexob11]

I like to use a product called Busch Light. Really seems to help when applying outside wood finishes. Great videos. Thanks for sharing.

[@gator83261]

You’d like the famous South Park episode where Cartman saves the town playing Slayer music at full blast to scare all the hippies away.

[@acanadianwoodworker]

Really cool getting to see all the outdoor projects in one long tracking shot, that I've only seen in bits and pieces before. Gave me the inspiration I need to get through the day of post setting

[@codyf3249]

I think I would actually like to hear the hippie rant. 😂

[@jonbobjon231]

yes, Would be so good to hear. hahaha

[@shanek6582]

Cody F , “it’s the corporations man......fucking Trump, the military industrial complex and the oligarchs dude.....LEGALIZE WEED!” That’s what my hippy brother sounds like anyway.

[@oreocarlton3343]

@@shanek6582 he is only half wrong

[@MaysWoodworking]

I’ve been doing a volunteer workshop at the Sam Maloof residence and the finish he used on everything was a 3 equal parts boiled linseed oil, pure tung oil and a marine grade spar urethane. I’ve tried it on several things and it’s held up great but it’s only been a few months have to wait for some good rain to see how good it is plan on doing a video about on my channel but give it a shot. If it’s good enough for Sam Maloof should work for me.

[@stephenwhite5444]

How has that finish worked out for you? Have you used it on something exterior where it gets beat down?

[@a0flj0]

You can put a tiny narrow alluminum or iron edge on the stairs - inset angle iron is what I have in mind. Otherwise, the stairs will wear out much faster than the rest, even if you only walk on them with slippers. For the threading surface, a clear coat of a bi-component polyurethane finish does not change the color at all and greatly increases durability. And it can be applied over mostly anything, with a roller.

[@DriverDude100]

Your work on this house is just incredible.

[@jonpierce8342]

For interior wood Linseed oil sanding until the grain is filled. Then a light coating of linseed oil buffed in with lots of pressure to cause polymerization. once a day for a week, then once a week for a month, then once a month for a year, then once a year until it doesn't need it. It does fade in the sun, but comes right back to life with a cleaning, and a fresh coat. Unfortunately any natural oil finish needs more love over time. My favorite part about linseed oil is it touches up pretty flawlessly. First chore when I aquire a rifle with a wood stock is removing whatever slippery clear coat they sprayed on it, and spending some time rubbing oil into the wood. It really brings the wood to life!

[@bobbbababobo]

Read Bob Flexner re: teak oil. Bottom line, there is no oil of teak wood. Teak oil is usually a combo of linseed oil & varnish. For O.D. furniture try spar varnish. Wood boat suppliers can hook it up. For the Ye Olde Tyme finish: beeswax, dissolved in turpentine, with boiled linseed oil. Recommended for interior use only.

[@miguelflo2]

I got sick of sanding and refinishing my outdoor teak furniture so I hit it with a pressure washer one day and it worked great. The mold spots and stains washed away. It raises the wood fibers a little but saves a lot of time.

[@asedition8847]

I’m not interested In carpentry but this I could watch all day!

[@Alex-mi9wq]

Lmao I work at a large paint company and my project is currently dealing with exterior wood finishes. Funny that you mention Timberpro first because we tested that during our competitive analysis and the results were so bad we just removed it from out list.

[@heinzpeter8264]

U sure that your company appreciates you sharing their test results on KZbin?

[@Alex-mi9wq]

The Bukman I mean I didn’t give any specifics lol.

[@eirvine]

Its trash. We do significant amounts of staining and refinishing during summers and we stick with Covercoat for exterior paint, Sharkskin for solid stains, and Sikkens Cetol for natural stains. Every other products we use let us down.

[@LoganLovell]

I've said it before and I'm sure others have as well but...wow you have a beautiful home/property. I hope some day I can have my own version of something so awesome. It really speaks to how skilled you are as a craftsman.

[@williamlandes2677]

I have a friend that makes outdoor furniture and he uses Teak oil mixed with Hielmans urethane mixed 4 to 1 oil to urethane. I tried it with some well dried pressure treated wood and it worked pretty well.

[@reversegreenpotato]

used that Sikkens finish on our cedar siding... can confirm, holds up pretty well in the harsh Aussie sun

[@stephenwhite5444]

You were happy with that Sikkens 3yrs ago....can you give an update? I'd love to know when it really started breaking down and needed to be reapplied.

[@rickshevitt8199]

Was in business 44 years. Best product I found for exterior wood is Penofin. Apply one coat only. No product I found can stand up to foot traffic but Penofin lasts a little longer on decks.

[@michaelpeavey3264]

A 70/30 mix of Teak oil and spar varnish for first two coats, then a floated on top coat of good spar varnish is the best I've used on outdoor cedar furniture projects.

[@myRefuge3710]

Wtf? Can you really mix the spar and oil? You should make a video.

[@HexhamFoodCo]

Hi used teak oil or my preferred variant danish oil many years on boats and exterior furniture. The challenge with it is building up the coats initially diluted in enough quantity to permeate the wood. Eventually if enough coats with rub back a glaze finish can be achieved but does take many coats.

[@194853DodgeTrucks]

Boy.......I remember all the toys my 3 kids left in the yard, driveway, living room.........now they have kids. My yard is clean, but the house feels so damn empty, and I have to get my own beer (lol). Enjoy every moment, toys and all.....:)

[@elcam84]

Readyseal is another option. Used to be only available from commercial suppliers but they had to sell to the BORGs to stay in business. I'm with you on the hippie tree hugger thing. These new products end up polluting more in the end because you have to reapply it so often which means more manufacturing of products, garbage and energy needed to re sand and reapply finishes. Then your wood doesn't last as long so you have to replace it much sooner than if you had a product that just worked.

[@tmsaskg]

Haver you tried the following: treating wood with mixture of lacquer thinner + natural linseed oil in ratio of 1:1 (soak, wait an hour, wipe, wait to dry outcompletely) then 1:3 (soak, w....) then 1:10 (soak, w...) and finally pure linseed oil rub in and leave to dry. I find that using the thinner will let the oil penetrate deeper into the wood surface, making it to dry out much less faster over time. Actually filling up the wood with the maximum amount of bindable oil within the grains helps to give a longer and heavier wood material

[@ambiguoussoul1246]

That was one of the funniest and best rants I have heard in a long time😁

[@RomanWeisman]

Try Penofin oil - best one I tried so far. The problem with applying oil on siding though, is that it needs to be applied every two years, compared to stain which needs to be applied every 6-8 years for example; that being said, applying oil is way faster than stain ( if you're using a brush ) and is healthy in preserving wood. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@jasonsocquet8555]

The last 5 minutes were the highlight of my day

[@matthoward1174]

Pine tar, turpentine, and linseed oil is an old Scandinavian boat finish that seems to hold up well and be waterproof. In areas that don't get enough sun to kill mold, I'd go light on the linseed oil, or just use pine tar and turp.

[@Dseated]

I wrap the wood with food wrap and put hot glue over any nails I use to keep the water out. Gives a nice glossy finish and water beads right off.

[@mchristopher]

Try TWP1500 on your vertical wood surfaces. TWP100 on horizontal surfaces (but its banned in many states and probably all Provinces thanks to the hippies. I used 1500 on pine board and batten siding 4 years ago. full sun and still looks great. It has lots of delicious chemicals in it too. I used their Pecan color and its a nice color on pine which can turn yellow or orange with some finishes. I exposed the rough side of the pine which soaked up more product. they say that darker colors have more pigment so they last longer too. I like penetrating oil finishes rather than build up finishes like Sikkens because they are easier to re coat IMO. I found that if you let the Sikkens go too long before re coat and it begins to peel, you have to strip it and start over which would be a huge PIA. My WRC sidewall shingles from Pacific Coast Cedar Products in Maple Ridge were pre dipped at the factory and shipped to Connecticut. Pac Coast is a multi generation family owned company. i have no affiliation, I just love those folks. They used Superdeck 1901 and they have held up very well over 4 years, but are ready for some love. chemists still have not discovered the magic bullet for exterior natural wood finish. hopefully one day... I love your videos. you inspire me to be better woodworker. I'm sorry but...Go Leafs!!!

[@jpeveto81]

I've had really good luck with Sherwin Williams super deck oil base wood stain.

[@jakejones5991]

Sherwin Williams is the way to go. I used to paint and stain homes, I had a similar experience as you.

[@jesterraj]

which product from SW?

[@bruceround8510]

First, that American beer got me a degree from what I remember. Second, California Paint out of Massachusetts (USA) has a product called Storm Stain. The #2 out of the 1-4 system is a colored toned exterior oil product. They are a small company in the paint world but they sell on the quality of the product. Not the quality of their advertising. Disclosure : I'm a hardware store owner that carries the line.

[@rhyswilliams695]

I used sikkens on an oak garden gate. Instant regret. Sherwin looks great. Thanks for the tip.

[@internet4861]

My favorite stain use to be burnt motor oil preferable 10W30. Every time I changed the oil in my Chevy pickup I would recoat my deck until my crybaby yankee neighbor called the law on me and I got a big ass ticket after their yard turned into a big rainbow when it rained one day and blamed it on my front and back porch like that was my fault I’m not a damn leprechaun I can’t control rainbows

[@jrdowns06]

So, this is what Internet Explorer is up to these days. Is your neighbor Google Chrome, by chance?

[@internet4861]

No it’s safari

[@Ken_Dalton]

I'm from Ireland, leprechauns don't control the weather here, that's the fairies! 😂 😂 😂 👌 but I like your comment! N who don't like rainbows? Your neighbors are clearly the weird ones! Lol 🌈

[@tylerk.7947]

Lmao! Can’t control rainbows, but you definitely could not put motor oil on your deck hahah.

[@johntosten4779]

You've got to lover those flower children. lol i always use a oil finish from S.W.

[@karltraunmuller7048]

Wow, house turned out really beautiful. So much stone and wood, very nice.

[@stephenwhite5444]

Awesome work! Id LOVE a update on how these finishes have held up. Especially the once you said had been on a couple years already....they should be close to 5 years by now. I'd love to know....I'm fixing to spend thousands on cedar protection.

[@andyb8159]

Have tried a few external deck finishes over the years,for me oils win over water based 95% of the time. Check out "cutek" lasts for ages in hot aussie summers. Very natural looking, with a touch of extra chemicals too !! "feast watson" is another one, bit chaeper dont last as long. LOVE YOUR WORK SAMURAI

[@bchrisl1491]

There aren’t any Beatniks anymore and “hippies” nowadays are mostly retired. But anyway, try this for wood exposed to UV: three coats of West System epoxy (105 resin, 207 hardener), all applied in two hour intervals on day one. Day two sand epoxy smooth with 220 grit. Then two coats with Epifanes Clear Varnish. Don’t like it glossy? Wet sand with 600 and call it a day. Also try Pettit Easypoxie Hi-Build Varnish. Better than Cetol.

[@keithconway4567]

Sikkens now called ProLuxe (at least in states) my first choice. I like the butternut color and my customers have all liked it... of course it depends on what other colors are in place.

[@fred-san]

French alps best protection/ snow-sun is engine oil, but smells strong 1.5 years.... and its then ok for several years.

[@nlight8769]

A local gave me this insider tip for exterior wood finish : engine oil mixed with white/mineral spirit He told me that it's what's used for railway sleepers

[@geemail369]

I'm sensing kind of a "more-than-one-beer"-vibe here ... *_°cheers°_** mate!* 🍻

[@cam12566]

Lol. That's what was sensing...

[@robfletcher3426]

Uh, ya

[@TheChupacabra]

No one starts with PBR. Thats the tell. +3 reaches for the ribbon.

[@vellam8766]

That orange color finish on the stairs is a good color in my opinion.

[@tableshaper4076]

As a fellow islander, you can still get the good finishes commercially just not in the box stores. Isn't there an E-Roko in Vic. Where are you buying you material from? I used different suppliers in Van but I did get some finishes from E-Roko because they were spec'd already.

[@dougfraser7635]

Hey... I found the same issue with some oil I put on cedar boxes I built. Terrible. So I'll sand down and stain. Question though, your board and batten, what spacings did you use? I'm building a shed and looking at siding options, but stuck on what spacings to use if board and batten... yours looks great

[@aimremodellingaesthetics6423]

If you want an excellent alternative to oil paint (if you haven't heard already), try Benjamin Moore Advance water born alkid. It's an acrylic that dries oil. Easy clean up.

[@ahti29]

Thank god we have a finish that does not change the natural color or fade in UV or stain in rain.Its probably never even heard of in Canada.

[@jayboley9683]

Thanks for the plans. Keep up the great content and amazing craftsmanship, you have one hell of a talent man..

[@peckerwood780]

I've never seen someone so unnaturally drink a beer

[@cbrucewarren]

Have you tried real, pure Tung oil?.... used for flooring , i've used it outside on cedar and after 8 yrs hardly any fading...... but hard to find, read your labels some "tung' oil is actually Lineseed. Tung oil will polyeramize and set up a hard coating after time... soaks into wood,etc....

[@jonpierce8342]

To get linseed oil to polymerize it takes rubbing hard enough to warm up your rag... I use it indoors, but outside it's just food for fungi here on the Oregon coast...

[@cbrucewarren]

@@jonpierce8342 I was talking tung oil, it will polymerize without the hard rubbing, rubbing is to remove excess in this case. Cheers!

[@AlphaMachina]

I'd like to see you go through the restaining process with the deck furniture. That'd be cool to see.

[@HakkaDakka]

Natural wood goes gray in the sun, that looks nice. Like an old barn or something. Or like the teak deck of an sailing boat, those guys understand the beauty of teak, motor-boaters use all sorts of chemicals to make it look fresh-cut. I feel like a hippy saying this but i'm a carpenter and i'm qualified to have an opinion :D

[@gerbilbits]

You can tint your clear with a low amount of green to help mute that red/orange

[@scottsears6440]

TWP 1500 has worked really well for me on my Eastern White Pine barn and garage.

[@cheatcanyon1]

Been using sherwin William's deckscapes oil finish on exterior wood. Seems pretty good so far.

[@bluejfarm9098]

He knows the way of the Samurai!

[@Owondr]

Better living through chemistry! The hippies were right about a lot of stuff tho...

[@MrToomm99]

I use Flood CWF UV it works great on my log home and outdoor projects. re coat every 5 years, Love it!

[@petehafner1659]

I loved the half in a bag honesty. Although, I wouldn't recommend doing it too often. Looking forward to more build video's.

[@tillmansr2002]

Great video! About the Cetol 1, 23 products. What type of Wood did the product cover (ie Cedar, Pine, Cypress, etc) for your build? Also, what color/type of Sikkens product was used? Log and Siding, Marine Cetol, or Door and Window, etc for the main beams? I think the Log & Siding product comes in a 'Dark Oak, and a few different colors, are those colors still the 'orange' hue?

[@daisycutter5771]

I use Tung Oil on my outdoor Cedar/Cypress (Even Walnut) - It's High Maintenance,...but looks great - Mold problems,...??? More Maintenance!! - I spray RMR 86 on it every couple months, and it doesn't negatively effect the look, and it is a great Mold Killer/Preventative - So, no mold,..but you have to be diligent. The last thing I did was my deck, used a Home Depot product for pine decking boards - Olympic - Mountain Cedar Woodland Oil - I love the look/durability, but it shows dirt a little more than I would like - LAST is the Deck Boarder (Sexy Samurai Style) that is Cedar (The front is 3x8x16', and 2 sides 3x8x8') and I used,......ODIES!! - I don't mind the price at this point because it's what gives the entire backyard character,...but how long is it going to last outdoors,..??? Only time will tell (every year application would end it's use quickly),...but it looks awesome,...obviously

[@johnking3863]

Hey bud, I love your videos when you were working at your bench. Small projects and techniques. Sad that times have changed.

[@RomanWeisman]

Hi - I'm not able to find that Sherwin Williams new cedar wipe on wipe off oil you mentioned, not on their web site nor when calling them directly. I'm trying to find an alternative for Behr semi transparent stain which leaves blotchy surface on my cedar siding, and like you mentioned don't want to use product such as Penofin which I have to reapply every 6 months.

[@johnem4695]

sikkins srd was my favorite until they made it acrylic . My go to has always been Penofin. Its comes in a few tones and the finish is tough. It sounds similar to sherwin williams

[@jfinaz99]

Ain't nothing wrong with PBR, esp when you're low on funds. Seems to work fine on my deck too! If it fades, throw an all night party and get a free re-coat while they're at it. On the serious side, your place looks great, lots of work done, applause.

[@jimmatheson8555]

Have you tried Cabbotts Penta based stains? They're the exterior stains of choice from Panabode Western Red Cedar Homes. My experience as a log home builder in the late 70s show Cabbotts to hold up very well. Check with Panabode Homes for their current recommendation. All of their buildings are made of western red cedar

[@TacticalAbsentee]

Hilarious ending! SOFFIT UNDERSIDE MATERIAL? What wood did you use and is it T&G or just planks? Love it, see it in the high end stuff but can't find any detail on what wood to use and how its installed. Cheers!

[@Yachatian]

Thanks for the review. I’ll have to try that Sherwin product. I use a product made in BC down here in the Oregon coast called Lifetime Wood Treatment. It’s a water-based penetrating product that turns cedar shingles/siding a nice silver patina that looks like the building has been there a long time and aged in the sun. It does a really good job in super shady spots where algae, mold , etc... try to get going. Kinda a “hippie” product(no chemicals), but super easy to apply and zero maintenance is appealing. It also works great for blending new shingles with old ones. Have you ever tried “Epiphanes” finish? It’s also a Dutch product, some sort of spar varnish. I’ve found it to retain the natural wood color and be very durable. Especially in high UV situations. It’s held up really well on Doug Fir doors and timbers for me. Cheers!

[@jfr55man]

ive had issues with sikkens cetol as a finish, particularly on softer woods that move a bit more. it tends of peel and flake off after a few years, leading to a more intensive maintenance cycle. I always recommend an oil finish over a varnish for exterior applications. Just my experience, yours may vary

[@MrPanohead]

They have different lines, HLS plus is meant for use with softer woods that move more. It doesn't build up a film.

[@noncontradiction]

Thanks for sharing your experiences Samurai. I'm wondering if you've ever used Spar Urethane and if you like it? I'm thinking about using it on some outdoor furniture pieces I'm working on.

[@dannielfriedrichsen7226]

Great video. I think you misspoke...probably meant to say "crack open 'another' crappy American beer". I know I'm enjoying 'another' excellent home brew while I watch. And, linseed oil on cedar is an all you can eat buffet for mildew.

[@DC73rr]

The Samurai Carpenter, This video would have been perfect if only you had had a beer cozy. LOL

[@Turk380]

hand carved

[@jyrkisinkkonen1512]

Finland the land of winter and rain between. We have saying. ”Eaves are the best wood wall protection. Else (color) are just for eye”

[@michaelmartino5473]

Be careful with the sikkens. When I built my house I used the cetol 3 step process on my cedar siding 3 coats front and back before I put the siding on. Held up well on the north side but where the sun hits it peeled very badly. Wish I never used the product. Looks great at first but you have to reapply a maintenance coat every other year.

[@Trevessa24]

Good Samurai... I use Sikkens Filter 7 here in Cornwall... ' Light Oak ' is their lightest.. The more coats builds depth obvs.. ..It's really the only thing that stands the uv... Maybe I'll send you a picture of my cedar weatherboarding on the girlfriends house !

[@hatzinwondering]

Hey I haunt watched in quite awhile but im getting back on board. Your place is looking amazing since I last checked in. Wicked. Super inspiring

[@danamartin944]

I use a product called Woodguard on my log home that I'm happy with. Need to recoat about every 5 years.

[@LACraftsmen]

Try TWP. "Total Wood Preservative" works well in the deep South and it's a single step product. SW use to carry it until they developed their own product.

[@ChrisBrown-dz9sz]

I put that on my kid's swingset this spring. it's holding up very well, no mold spots and looks like the day I put it on (3 months ago). I've also had pretty good luck with Preservawood, sold at HD.

[@nj40100]

Teak oil does work best with Teak furniture it enhances the natural oils. Some folk prefer the natural silvering as Teak dries but a once a year wipe over helps.

[@brianq-peep9816]

Thought you were eaten buy carpenter ants. So glad you are back!

[@jan-reiniervoute6701]

Used sikkens on my deck here in South Africa, the best so far. As far as the colour goes, Oranje boven!

[@alfredwallace8201]

I'm a bit of a hippie in some ways, I appreciate a good natural oil finish, especially on furniture or something that's indoors. I do however recognize that that would be a poor choice for outdoor wood finishing. I have no problem with using something unnatural. If it makes it so you don't have to replace the structure every 10 years then you're helping the environment that way. But also I totally get not wanting to have a product that if it gets spilled and gets into the water supply, you're totally effed. There have been too many issues here in Michigan with irresponsible use of chemicals that I can also understand where the regulation comes from. Bottom line the work is incredible and it makes sense to preserve it the best you can.

[@EricShellTheArtOfTheCraft]

Confirmed my experience as well. Thanks captain.

[@TheAnalogKid2]

You mean with the hippies? :-)

[@Graveltrucking]

Common for Cetol to turn cedar orange, Cetol also has an odor that never goes away. You do need a finish that stays soft especially with cedar. I’m not a fan of the orange effect Cetol has on cedar you can tell what houses have Cetol on them get close enough the smell confirms it.

[@Dan-re5ym]

You would be better off using Cabot gold for your decking finished. Holds up well with a nice satin finish. Different color selections, and allows the grain to show through.

[@danwalker2642]

Love the joint work on your upper beam you can see at 3:11. You do amazing work and I hate hippies too.

[@Frankengruvin]

rockin the crocs! I too, enjoy the crocs these days. My 70 year old uncle gave them to me LOL.

[@akwright886]

I believe that Teak oil is for "Interior" use only, at least when I sold it in the retail enviroment back in the 90's that was the case. I stand to be corrected.

[@jameshughes9579]

The best Finnish for exterior and a natural timber look is Intergrain, an Australian brand. Cant beat it.

[@rolfbjorn9937]

You're putting poor Finns in the blender to coat wood? You probably mean finish...

[@manbearpig5907]

@@rolfbjorn9937 Lol

[@zarppi]

Have you tried boiled linseedoil? I use it for some outdoor benches and on some inside decors. Really dark colour and doesnt hide wood grains. It gives wood burned look. At least for pine and spruce it works well.

[@antonindelsol6563]

In the wipe on wipe off cat. you got 'Rubio' Idk if you can get it in Canada but I used the inside version for kitchen finish and it hold very well they claim that the outside version is even more durable but never used it so I can't confirm

[@ianwilliams487]

G"Day,Jess,,yep with you on the chemical enhance finishes,Built many a project and the finish has let me down,,or so i thought,seems to be the way you apply the finish which does make a difference, It seem different finish has different application time and state of dryness(?)before reapplication, I tend to over do it,,put way to much on,,when really all i had to do was wet it let it soak and reapply ,,got better results but not super like the label said it would, "" I Hear Your Pain,"" and it's 10:00am right now so a beer is a great idea, Love from Australia thanks Jess,

[@marcpabel4768]

For the stairs you can buy cheap plastic or metal parts to protect the side that is rubed off. Doesent cost much and looks nice.

[@idigbebop]

Here’s what I use “but I don’t like any of it and I’ll be redoing everything” sounds about right for exterior finishing. I’d hold off the rants if I were you. You have a brand, and mouths to feed. Don’t give the competition or na-sayers ammo. I see a successful line Samurai Carpenter products.

[@timort2260]

Thanks man. I really dig the sikkens proluxe so far. Also bleach wont kill mold look into using peroxide. Also higher maintenance product you would probably like it more then the sherwin Williams is duckback super deck the stuff is very natural look. Keep us up to date with your outdoor finishes