WWA Info Exchange

LOML wants cedar flower boxes made, but wants to preserve the new cedar color instead of the aged look in a few years of exposure.
Any help there?

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Sean

Countin' flowers on the wall,
that don't bother me at all,
smokin' cigarettes and watchin' Captain Kangaroo,
Now don't tell me I've nothin' to do.

Second recipient of the D'oh Award. 4-13-08

We use a UV Spar Varnish in Canoe Building. It's an absolute must in preventing the epoxy and fiberglass from degrading. They come in a matte finish too. Every couple of years or so we need to put a new coat of Spar varnish on our hull.

Captain's ZSpar Varnish is what they use at Chris' place of employment almost exclusively and they work on the old woody classics that sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Goes on easy and has great UV protectors.

Anything you use somehow must have the U.V. inhibitors.

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Tim Eastman
Lead by example - be an example worth following

I have used polyurethane on cedar and kept the bright color fairly well but, it was on a cedar chest and not exposed to outside weather.

Rog

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Dont badmouth no strangers, they just friends you aint met yet.

An ounce of responsibility is worth a pound of State and Federal laws.

I spent most of my money on woodworking
tools and beer, the rest I just wasted.

Hmmmm good point - I was assuming that the flower box was out in the elements.

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Tim Eastman
Lead by example - be an example worth following

I'll check to see what I used on the wishing well I built for LOML out of cedar. Hasn't been outside too long yet, but has the original color so far.

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John

Is it eastern white or red? White for canoes, of course, and red for cedar chests means you're getting different answers. Is the surface prepared or just rough-sawn?

If it's eastern white, which I suspect, I'd use a penetrating oil designed for siding. It is your long oil spar varnish with the UV inhibitors, though without resin to harden a surface film. That works on rough sawn or smooth. Must be renewed every couple, of course, but that'll only be a couple of times or less if you make her do it.

The western red and yellow have special "fence" sealers that work well.

Minor point of correction. Cedar strip canoes typically are Western Red Cedar. However the UV varnish never comes in contact with the cedar. The varnish's sole purpose is to protect the epoxy and fiberglass which encases the cedar.

I would love to see what "bare wood" treatments are used among the "usual suspects" here for outdoor cedar applications. We're probably going to be doing an outdoor cedar Cupola not too far down the road and will most likely NOT be using a spar varnish application for that.

What are the manufacturers of some of the "fence" sealers you've seen? Cuprinol, Thompson's, Behr? Do they have a non-pigmented U.V. inhibitor /sealer??

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Tim Eastman
Lead by example - be an example worth following

Minor correction based on living out east, and seeing them everywhere. Quick on-line search will show you a bunch of eastern white cedar canoes. Even at the Hessel show they still show up, though clear stock is tougher to come by now. The classic cedar vessel is the Adirondack guide boat. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adirondack_guideboat wonders of strength and geat portability.

I also spent time on the left coast, and Thompsons and, I think Behr had a couple of waterproofers with silicone - bad for future finish options - which were made for the cedar privacy fences favored in granola land. Thompsons also had one for patios and bricks which was very good, but all had to be renewed annually, I believe. Most manufacturers have a clear or light "transparent" stain available.

Flood CWF-UV® comes in a clear and has held up well on ceder and some white oak, it did darken the wood a little.

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"It is not a mistake it is a learning experience"
Monte

I checked on what I used on the wishing well. It was Olympic Maximum Waterproofing Sealant. Guarantees at least 2 years without turning grey. Coming up on a year now for the wishing well and no sign of any greying. Maybe I should use the stuff on what little hair I have left.

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John

you guys can throw stones at me if you'd like but I have a small suggestion... have you considered one of the man-made wood-like materials? It can look remarkably like wood, won't fade, is impervious to rot from the water, and needs no upkeep. During my last trip to Germany I saw them using man-made material on flower boxes on traditional bavarian homes and it looked GREAT-- If I hadn't seen/heard/smelled them cutting and making the boxes I think I would have thought it extremely well cared for wood from anything more than 5 feet.

Lawrence

Let us know how that turns out John. NPDH!

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Tim Eastman
Lead by example - be an example worth following

tell the cedar how young it looks

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Mango
The land some where in the middle
20 47 00N -156 26 00W