On Tuesday, September 10, 2013 5:08:14 PM UTC-5, woodchucker wrote:
I would have tried an epoxy coating followed by spar varnish... That wood was beautiful, and deserved to be seen. -- Jeff

The wood is ER cedar. After hurricanes, I've collected lots of downed trees and had them milled, so I have lots of cedar and other lumber. Cedar is a nice decorative wood and appropriate for many accent pieces. It's kind of soft for some/many furniture applications.

I prefer clear coats, to painting, anything. This time, I was looking for an easier job, of it. Turned out to be more work than I bargained for. I could have built a whole new swing in less time, than I've spent on this refinishing.... and I'm still not finished!

I have never used epoxy for wholesale finishing/refinishing. I've used it as a wood filler and/or for strengthening of decayed wood areas on furniture framing, that has too many nail/tack holes to properly support further fastener application.... Upholstering applications, more specifically: Sometimes, an older piece of furniture will have so many nail/tack holes, along a narrow wood framing, that reattaching new fabric is compromised by the previous nail/tack holes in the wood. New fasteners don't fasten securely, so the wood is beefed up with epoxy, when the wood framing can't be wholely replaced with new wood. I've even used epoxy to beef up wood that has been severely perforated by powder post beetles/woodworm.

On the swing, the wood slats were finished individually, before installing. That was time consuming. Applying an epoxy, also, I'm thinking, would take much longer. I'll give epoxy some consideration, next time around.

Thanks.
Sonny