When it comes to trying to weatherproof wood for outdoors, people often think that it is a difficult process to go through. The truth is that it really isn’t.
The process of weatherproofing pieces of wood for outdoors is very important. If you live in an area where you deal with excessive rainfall, then getting your woodwork done is the best option.
Before we teach you how to weatherproof your wood, we will first tell you what the waterproofing proof is, and why it is important.
What Is Weatherproof?
Weatherproofing is a wood treatment process that protects your wood from all kinds of problems, including damp conditions.
Aside from the damp protection, you use it to treat and protect your wood from UV rays, humidity, and several forms of insect damage.
Weatherproofing protects your wood in the best way possible. However, it does not completely make your wood immune from insect attack.
Whenever people hear of the waterproofing process, they automatically assume that is a complex and expensive process. This is the main aim of this article. To guide you and teach you the steps you need to take to waterproof your wood properly.
Let’s dive in.
How to Weatherproof Your Wood For Outdoors
Prepare the Woodblock
The first step of the waterproof process is to prepare the wood. The best way to prepare this wood is to sand the surface of the wood properly. This sanding process helps to remove the excess wood and imperfections from the surface.
Start the process with rough sandpaper. After the sanding process, you need to clean the surface to remove residue properly.
The maximum time required to sand a piece of wood properly is about 10-15 minutes. When you do this, the surface of the wood becomes smooth and easy to work with.
Most people may ask why the sanding and preparation process is. If you do not prepare your wood, the sealants will not stay on the wood surface for a long time. Preparing the wood surface makes the surface ready for use.
You need to know that when you buy already made furniture, you may not be required to go through this entire process.
According to The Telegraph, there are various tips you should take to heart, and one of them is knowing when it is best to weatherproof.
Choose the Required Sealant
After you have properly prepared the wood’s surfacee next thing to do is choose the sealant that would be the best for you.
Every sealant you see in the marketplace has its use. Each wood type uses a different sealants.
Sealants are the major parts of the waterproof process. Using a sealant is the best thing you can do to make your wood look the best. This is an important part of the waterproof process.
There are different types of sealants. There are fence sealants, furniture sealant, and deck sealant.
The sealant’s main job is to stand up against humidity, UV rays, and even water. In cases like this, you are required to use a sealant with good exterior use.
If you are working on a deck, the best thing to do is to apply the sealant with a paint sprayer. It has better effects. In other places, you may just use a paintbrush instead.
Cover With the First Coat
This is the main thing you need to do. Once you have chosen your sealant, and the application procedure, the next thing you need to do is to apply the first coat on the wood surface. This is the best thing you need to do.
This is a simple and straightforward process. You are required to brush the wood evenly with your spray paint or brush. Coat it evenly to all the important parts of the wood.
You may be wondering why you need to do this — most people make the silly mistake of putting on the first coat and leaving it to dry like with other coats. This is very wrong.
After the first coat, leave the wood in a cool and dry place. The wood will be dried for at least 10 hours. This time helps the first coat to sink into the wood properly. You are required to check on the wood from time to time to ensure that the wood is properly dried and then proceed to apply the second coat.
Sand the Surface Again
When the wood is fully dried, you are required to sand the surface again. This time, do it continuously to ensure you get the best results. The main reason why you need to sand the surface the second time is to make the second sealant sit better on the surface. This is the best thing you need to do.
For most people, they do not see the need to sand after the first coat. These people feel it is a waste of time and resources. The truth is that it is not. This is the best thing you need to do to give you the best results you need.
If you do not have fine sandpaper to do this effectively, you can choose to go for steel wool. It will give you the best result.
Take ample time to sand this surface. The most you do so, the better the wooden surface looks. You would be amazed at the results you will get.
Apply the Second Coat
The next thing you need to do at this point is to apply the next coat. After you have taken care of the surface by the second sealant coat, this is a simple process. You need to take your wood, and brush or spray all around the wood.
Since you have properly clean the surface of the wood, it would be easier for the sealant to penetrate it. It gives the long-lasting effect and feeling that people will love.
This stage will take you around up to 30 minutes. It is so simple that anyone would be able to do it. However, you need to be careful. When spraying the sealant, you need to ensure that you are personally protected to avoid choking. Leave the coat to dry for another 10 hours to ensure maximum penetration into the surface.
The second coat helps a great deal. So, you need to ensure that you apply it the most. The content should be more than the first one to get the best results. Probably the application is the key, and it is the best.
Apply the Third Coat
After the second coat has been dried off, it is now time to apply their coat. You must apply the third coat with the same intensity used to apply the second coat. The main aim of applying the third coat is to ensure that gets solid on the surface.
This is what causes the waterproofing.
When you are applying the third coat, the surface becomes ticker and fully resistant to humidity and moisture. These are the main cause of wood spoilage.
The third coat is usually the best and the most important. This coat is described as the icing on the cake and it makes the wood the best.
As an expert, we strongly recommend this third coat. Most people, however, leave it at the second coat and the waterproof nature of the wood would not last very long. This is why continuous coating is important.
Coating the wood surface with sealant will give your wood that long-lasting effect that you desire. If your wood is placed outdoors, like your fence, your doors, and outdoor chairs, you will always get the best results.
Most people can choose to Coat the surface multiple times. But, the ideal amount is three times to get the best results.
Leave to Cure for a Bit
After you have gone through the entire coating and sanding process, the next thing you are required to do is to leave it to cure for a bit. This process usually takes up to three days if you want to get the best results from it.
Most people may ask, why is there a need for curing the wood? The answer is simple, curing the wood makes the coating stick better to the wood surface. This is very important.
One thing you should not do is placing your wood for use immediately after the third coating. This is very wrong. The coating may end up not getting absorbed into the wood, and it may lead to a lot of stains. You need to be very careful at this point. Always ensure that proper curing takes place to ensure that your wood lasts longer.
When you are done with the curing, you are now free to use the wood in any part of your home or office. In your furniture, fence, or even doors, you will get the best a well-treated wood can offer.
We have walked you through the entire process of waterproofing wood for outdoors. We will show you the amazing benefits of weatherproofing wood.
Benefits of Weatherproofing Woodblocks
It Makes Wood Last Longer
This is the best way to make your wood last longer. In a lot of cases, wood deteriorates because of the presence of rainfall and insects. When these woods are exposed, they do not last as long as expected.
The weatherproof process makes the surface of the wood resistant to rain and insects, leading to spoilage. Thereby ensuring that your woodwork is at its best.
It Makes the Wood Look the Best
Most people decide to weatherproof their wood to make it resistant to moisture. However, it also helps make your wood look beautiful and attractive. Try and compare a well coated and weatherproof wood with normal wood, and you will see the difference.
If you intend to use wood for your furniture, then going through the weatherproof process is the most important. Your environment will always be classy and beautiful.
It Prevents Stains
One thing that a lot of people dread whenever they install a piece of wooden furniture is the kind of stains that they experience. The stains are always displeasing and can cause a lot of damage in the long run.
The weatherproofing process helps prevent stains by keeping the wood surface resistant. This is the best thing you can do for your wooden furniture.
Stains can be such a mess. So, you should always be careful when using it. Creating a weatherproof coat outdoor will help prevent the toughest stains.
Final Thoughts
In this article, we have shown you the best and easiest ways you can weatherproof your wood for outdoors. In this article, we have exposed various tips that will help you properly execute this process with ease and give you the best result in the long run.
There are certain things you need to do before you go through this process. You must ensure that you have fully protected. Do not go through this coating process without wearing good personal protective equipment.
All the chemicals used for this process are not suitable for inhaling. You must know this.
Coating your wood is a good choice that ensures long-lasting results in the long run. If you want to make any furniture or fence, the coating process will go a long way.
If you live in an environment where you always have to deal with rain, you must always coat your wood to ensure that it doesn’t destroy them.
The coating also helps you prevent the wood from getting eaten by insects. If you are living with these insects, then you must coat your wood. If you have a fence and these insects are present, they will most likely ruin your fence within a short time. Trust me, you do not want to always repair your fence because of them.
It’s better to be safe than sorry.