Cedar Stain & Finishes for Adirondack Chairs

Disease and rot resistant

White Cedar is Rot Resistant

White cedar does not need to be finished to last longer or preserve the wood. Cedar will turn a soft gray if no finish is applied. Cedar is disease and rot resistant. Finish is only a color changer and needs frequent reapplication. We have not found a finish that wins over sun and weathering. Personally, I recommend letting Cedar grey naturally.

Maine Adirondack Chairs
Maine Adirondack Chairs

White Cedar Furniture

Finishes

We offer Ready Seal Natural Cedar to accentuate the beauty of native Maine White Cedar. It presents as a rich golden color.  Unfortunately, finishes do not last long on Cedar and will need to be reapplied frequently.

What not to use.

Don't Use Linseed or Tung Oil

We have learned the hard way not to use any finish made with either Tung oil or Linseed oil. Both will turn black in a short amount of time. So many brands that I could name!

Maine Adirondack Chairs
Maine Adirondack Chairs

Paint on Cedar

Paint Works

Use white shellac on the knots, then apply a high quality primer, and you're ready for your final color. Painted chairs look great, but you know the drill with paint. 4–7 years out, and you'll need to scrape, prime and resurface.