How to stain and protect an outside wood chair?

Question

What do I need to use to protect the chair from rain and snow? Thank you.

Answer 1

Use Minwax for the stain and a spar varnish for the protective coating. Follow the instructions on the cans.

For the stain, sand the chair well with 220 sandpaper. Apply the stain with a soft cloth, leave it sit for a bit, and then wipe it off, buffing it out. Let this dry overnight.

Spar varnish is a marine grade varnish that they use on wooden surfaces on boats. It comes in high gloss or satin finish (pick one). Apply the first coat and let it dry completely (a day or two). If you don't let it dry completely between coats, the solvents in the varnish will eat into the first coat and cause blistering.

Sand lightly between varnish coats. Do about 2 or 3 coats. That should last through the winter.

Answer 2

Use a wood stain,and get some Marine Polyurethane from a boat supplier.

Answer 3

I use Wolman F&P stain and sealer on my outdoor wooden furniture.  They have 4 shades available so you have a nice range of shades to choose from.  The best thing is that you don't have to apply every year since it holds up very well.  

You should be able to get this at your local hardware store.

To further protect my furniture, I also use use furniture covers for the winter time.  I bought mine at Cedarstore.com and it has protected my furniture tremendously from the harsh winters we have.  The covers hold up extremely well.