Nothing’s worse than sitting down in an outdoor wood chair and discovering that the legs have nearly disintegrated from constant contact with the ground.
To avoid this when building an outdoor chair or bench you can try two things:
Furniture Glides
You can simply attach nail-on furniture glides to the bottom of the legs. This will minimize direct contact of the project with the ground, patio, or deck surface and limit the amount of moisture that wicks up into the project.
Try a Waxman plastic nail-on glide (#67022). It has a rubber washer that rests between the plastic and the bottom of the leg that acts like a seal when the glide is fully seated. I’ve used it on dozens of outdoor benches and chairs for years and they’ve held up quite well.
Wood Preservative
By itself, or in conjunction with the glides, treat the ends of the legs with a wood preservative, such as Olympic Maximum Waterproofing Sealant (#27388). You can brush it on or dip the legs into the sealant. Check the manufacturer’s directions on how often you should reapply the sealant, and follow this methodically.
A good protective finish, and then maintenance afterwards, is always the key to protecting outdoor furniture and keeping it in good shape, but you should also consider the area you plan to place the furniture when decided on the type of wood you use and the finish you plan to apply on the project.
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I did this with side tables I made out of oak, which is definitely NOT a wood made for outdoors. However, the tables are kept on a covered patio, so they are never in direct rain, and the plastic glides keep the tables raised. These tables are about 5 years old now and look just like they did when I made them. The glides work great!
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ReplyDeleteGreat! We always recommend glides for outdoor projects. They're also forgiving when it comes to indoor projects legs that may be a bit uneven - the adjustable kind are the best for that.
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