Preserving furniture and wooden components inside the home protected from the elecments like rain, UV radiation, snow and even termite infestation can be quite easy.
On the other hand, protecting furniture and wooden constructions outside your home that are exposed to the elements can pose quite a challenge.
UV radiation can cause your outdoor furniture to lose their color and appearance. Rain and moisture can cause the wood to rot. Termites can even eat through the wood, damaging the furniture irreparably.
The question now is, what can you do about it? How do you preserve your outdoor furniture and other wooden components outside your home from getting damage and destroyed by the elements outside.
Here are 5 different measures and steps you should take to do so.
1. Choose Weather-Resistant Wood
The first step you must take is to choose weather resistant wood when building furniture or any other wooden construction that will be exposed to the elements.
There are different types of wood. While some are very resistant to things like moisture and pest infestation, others are not.
So, you need to make sure the wood you’re using for your outdoor projects are the ones that can resist the elements on their own.
Here are a few good examples of weather resistant woods you can go for.
Teak: Teak is largely associated with boat building due to it’s high resistance to water and moisture. It’s also highly resistant to insects as well.
White Oak: White oak has a very low porosity, which means moisture can’t sip through it grains. That’s why it’s used for making whisky barrels, and thus it’s a very good wood for your outdoor wood projects.
Cedar & Redwood: Naturally resistant to decay and insects, these woods are perfect for outdoor use.
Ipe is a dense, tropical hardwood that’s nearly impervious to weather damage (but requires occasional oiling to maintain its rich color).
Mahogany is another weather resistant wood that you can use for your outdoor projects. But it’s quite expensive just like Ipe.
2. Seal & Protect the Wood
The easiest and most effective way to protect outdoor wood is by applying a high-quality exterior sealer. This helps create a barrier against moisture, preventing rot and cracking. There are a few great options depending on the look you’re going for:
- Waterproof Sealers – Clear or tinted, these penetrate the wood and keep water out without changing its natural look.
- Oil-Based Stains & Sealers – Tung oil, teak oil, or penetrating stains help protect while enhancing the grain and natural beauty of the wood.
- Polyurethane or Spar Urethane – These coatings form a durable, glossy layer that protects against moisture and UV rays.
3. Keep It Elevated
One of the major culprits responsible for wood damage is prolonged exposure to moisture. If your furniture sits directly on wet ground or a damp patio, it’s only a matter of time before rot sets in.
Same thing with a wooden fence. If you’re building a wooden fence, you may want to set a concrete foundation or post first before installing the wood on top of the concrete post, with a water screen in between the two.
For wooden furniture, you can use a rubber feet or furniture pads to separate the wooden furniture feet from the damp concrete, and thus preventing any moisture from sipping in through the feet and damaging it.
4. Cover & Store Properly
Sometimes, the best way to make sure the element don’t destroy or damage your wooden constructions outside like your outdoor furniture is to just remove them from the outdoors when you’re not using them there.
During the off seasons like winter, you should definitely take all your outdoor furniture inside the garage or shed for storage, until you need them outside again.
There’s no need leaving them exposed out there when you don’t have use for them out there.
Even in the spring and summer seasons when it rains and the sun shines, you can get a waterproof cover for your outdoor furniture to protect them from the elements.
5. Maintain Regularly
Even the best protective measures won’t make your outdoor furniture or any other outdoor wooden construction last forever. But with a bit more effort from you, they can last longer than usual.
So, make it a habit to clean them periodically, to prevent any dirt build-up that will inturn attract moisture, mold and insects to feast on the wood.
You can also reapply sealers or stains, say every 1 to 3 years to ensure the wood remains sealed and protected from harmful elements, and to also renew the appearance of the wood.
Rounding Up
Whether you’re building a wooden picket fence or you’re building furniture to enjoy your outdoor space, you’ll agree with me they’re a considerable investment, and you’d want to keep them around for as long as possible.
Whether that happens or not starts from the kind of materials you choose in the first place. The type of wood and the measures you take to make sure that the wood has no direct contact with the elements over time.
By sealing, elevating, and properly maintaining your wood, you’ll save yourself from costly replacements and keep your outdoor space looking beautiful for as long as you want.
