Editing Refinishing Outdoor Wood Furniture

== Sanding ==
* Sand with 80 grit sandpaper
* Sand again with 150 grit sandpaper
* Vacuum/sponge off wood to pick up dust from sanding

== Stain ==

* Consider using Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
* Minwax Gel Stain
** Apply with brush or clean cloth.
** Wait 3 minutes, then wipe off excess.
** Darken the color with additional coats of stain. Wait 8-10 hours between coats. Do not sand between coats.

== Sealing/varnish ==
* Seal the wood with Minwax Helmsman Spar Urethane (oil base) 
** "spar urethane" is for exterior use
** Apparently, marine grade spar urethane is more durable than consumer grade spar urethane and is worth the extra money. 
** Supposedly, Lowe's carries Cabot Spar Varnish which is marine grade.
* Sand in between coats using high-grit sandpaper, e.g. 320-400 grit, that will knock down any imperfections and give additional coats a surface they can bind to.
* Apply gloss for all coats until the final coat which will be satin.
* Apply satin coats until the wood has an even sheen (2-3 coats at least).

[[Category:Home Repair]]