"Lew Hodgett" wrote in message
ink.net...
San Diego Joe wrote:
Hi all, I'm new to the forum. Very nice, so little spam and flaming.

I have a question about finishing outdoor furniture. I'm planning to
build a
sofa, chair and coffee table out of either teak or Honduran mahogany (if
someone has another good suggestion, I'm open.) I don't want the wood to
weather to grey but rather maintain the natural color of the wood. I
realize
yearly maintenance will be required. I was thinking exterior grade
polyurethane. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how to proceed?

You can't win this one, especially living in S/D.

If you don't want to believe me, take a walk down on Shelter Island and
look at some of the boats.

If you don't want to let it gray natural, might consider redwood. It
will still require maintenance, but at least you can stay with it.


I hear this said often, but I look at boats on the St. Lawrence Seaway - a
lot of 80 year old Lymans and the likes that are Mahogany, and they look
like the day they were built. I don't know what the varnish is that they
use on these things, but it works, and they don't refinish them every year.
I'd suggest checking with a newsgroup for boats.
--

-Mike-