Can you recommend a treatment for <!—-><!—-> <!—->Cyprus<!—-> <!—-> lawn furniture?
I built a set of Norm Abram’s <!—-><!—->Cyprus <!—-><!—-> lawn chairs. I left the chairs natural and unprotected. The chairs have developed mold like stains.
I really like the light weight and ridgid feel of the chairs but
I’m looking for a protective treatment.
Thanks for your help.
Bill DeBender
Replies
You can remove that crud easier with a little bleach in a sprayer, followed by a quick rinse off, than you can maintain a finish. It will eventually get a little pitted, in the early wood, but you can hit with a quick once over with a random orbit sander to freshen up the surface also.
A Cypriot might answer your question most informatively.
You can use Sikkens or Penofin on CYPRESS.
Bill -
I saw the Cypress Lawn Chair episode of NYWS yesterday and heard Norm mention the product he used to "finish" the chair.
IIRC, it was from Sherman Williams and was typically used to protect boat hulls. Norm said that you apply it once and then forget it.
I may be looking for it, too. I'm planning to rebuild two garden benches and would like to use Cypress for the wood parts.
Dave,I doubt Norm recommended the coatings applied to boat hulls. Those coatings conatain toxic compounds and heavy metals meant to kill and slow the growth of marine life, including algae, barnacles, etc. You wouldn't want to sit on such "bottom paint" or have it anywhere near your body.Norm probably was referring to Marine spar varnish. Used on almost all wood on a boat above the waterline.(Take a look at this thread: http://forums.taunton.com/fw-knots/messages?msg=35366.1 )Norm was aprtially right. True marine spar will protect the wood, but you can hardly "forget it." It requires at least yearly refinishing.Rich
Rich -
I prefaced my statement with IIRC (If I Recall Correctly), but I'm quite certain that he didn't mention spar varnish.
NYWS episodes are carried on 2-3 of the cable channels around here and are usually repeated. If I can catch a rerun of this one, I plan to have a pencil and paper handy and pay closer attention. - lol
I have attacked the mold with a bleach solution. I'm amazed as how stubborn the mold is.<!----><!----><!---->
I’ve sanded and it helped a little but I’m going to try another round of bleach.<!----><!---->
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I purchased the Cetrol from West Marine an will apply it this weekend.<!----><!---->
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Bill DeBender <!----><!---->
Just remember that with any film finish you need to lightly sand and apply another coat each year. There is no such thing as apply and forget for any finish that will live in sunlight short of 316 stainless.
I located this product by googling Sikkens.
This sounds like the product Norm described. $37.40 + shipping per gal at the epaintstore.com.
Cetol? Marine: Sikkens Cetol Marine is a durable translucent satin protective wood finish for interior and exterior use on boats. Cetol Marine provides a flexible breathable finish, superior ultraviolet and weathering protection for teak and other woods commonly found on boats, or as a priming coat only when used with Cetol Marine Gloss. Please note that Cetol Marine may not be used below the waterline.
Bill DeBender
in Richmond VA
OK,
I'll nitpick a bit here.
Dave 45 said:
"IIRC, it was from Sherman Williams and was typically used to protect boat hulls. Norm said that you apply it once and then forget it."
I replied that anything used on boat hulls would be toxic and suggested that Norm had referred to marine spar varnish. Apparently not, but . . .
Cetol isn't for use on hulls (below the water line - that's anyplace on a hull). This is probably irrelevent, like I said I'm nitpicking.
If Norm did say this finish could be applied once and it could be forgotten, well that's typical of Norm. But he was partially right. You can forget about it if you only apply it once to outdoor wood. Because it will eventually be gone.
Rich
Saw these posts at work today while taking a much needed break and remembered seeing part of this NYWS this past weekend.
Norm used an oil alkyd resin to "protect" the cypress and "even out the color".
He said they started using it for boats (not hulls specifically), then they started using it for decks, or playsets or anything made of wood that sits outdoors.
Norm then said, "...they say that all you have to do is put on one coat, let it dry, and that's all you have to do."
Tivos are nice.... when their harddrives aren't crashing!!
And when google-ing "oil alkyd resin" to see how to spell it, google is a nice spell checker too..., a link to newyankee.com came it with regard to that project:
"The finish was by Sikkens....find it at marine outlets... "
Tim,Norm then said, "...they say that all you have to do is put on one coat, let it dry, and that's all you have to do."Yeah, I'm sure he said that. Good Ol' Norm. And it's supposed to mean . . . what?Never mind, that wasn't even rhetorical. In this case, Norm's statement was simply meaningless.
Rich,
I'm an novice when it comes to woodworking, especially finishing... and even I know better than to believe "apply once and forget about it"!
Dad always said, "If it sounds too good to be true... it probably is."
I'm sure this product is decent, and they dropped NYWS some coin to use it and list it in the show's credits, but it seems that even Norm should know better.
Most everything in life requires a little maintenance...
That NYWS show was made in 2001. We aught to send ol' Normy an email and ask him how the "one coat" is doing on those cypress chairs?!?!?
Hey! Look what I found...
I found this on newyankee.com with regard to a follow up question on outdoor finishes:
"We used a product boat builders like, called Sikkens and it held up pretty well for a few months. But over time it too deteriorated leading us to the conclusion that leaving cypress, redwood, teak or cedar to age naturally without any finish is a pretty good idea. Everything else we have used will need to be maintained."
Edited 4/3/2007 10:10 am ET by TimR
Cetol is moderately durable, but suffers the disadvantage that as it ages it tends to get dark and nearly opaque. At one time it seemed to be a great advance over varnish for brightwork, but it is fading in popularity on the boats around here. (Connecticut River ports for sailing on Long Island Sound and nearby waters.)
Paint. If you want the longest-lasting, that is.
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