On Oct 25, 9:26 am, "Peter Bogiatzidis" wrote:
Hello,

I'm in the process of refurbishing an outdoor wooden play set. To that end,
I've already power washed it and now want to apply some sort of finish or
preservative. Color doesn't matter.

The play set is old PT wood, but in relatively good condition. Power washing
it really brightened up the wood. My plan is to sand any spots where the
grain was raised, in order to prevent splinters, and then apply an oil type
finish. As I understand it, paint will peel, but an oil or stain will
penetrate into the wood fibers. Am I correct on that? If so, any
recommendations?

I just happen to have some Thompson's Water Seal on hand, but am not sure
that this would be the correct product to use. I've seen decks that have
been sealed (not sure what sealer was used) that become very slippery when
wet. That's what makes me question using the Thompson's. I don't want to
create a slippery hazard and wait for an accident to occur.

As to sanding, would 120 grit sandpaper be okay? With regard to applying the
oil or stain, would it be better to brush or spray it on? I've seen where
they use a pump type sprayer to apply the finish followed up with a brush to
thoroughly distribute the product. Any comments?

Thanks in advance to those who post a reply to the group.

Peter.

I was involved in construction of a large playground built entirely of
pressure treated wood. This playground was designed by an
architectual firm that specializes in wooden playgrounds.

See http://www.leathersassociates.com/index.html

The only finish we put on it was boiled linseed oil. The oil causes
most splinters to lie down and disappear like majic. An application
is good for a couple of years, then you just brush or spray on another
coat. Film-forming finishes like paint will eventually peel, leaving
you with a more difficult recoating job.

DonkeyHody
"In theory, theory and practice are the same, but in practice they are
not."