I WANT AN EXTERIOR FINISH THAT PROTECTS THE WOOD BUT STILL LOOKS NATURAL – WHAT SHOULD I CHOOSE?
Depends on how you define “natural.” To some people, natural means allowing the wood to weather, which will eventually turn it gray and rough. In that case, don’t use any finish. One step up from that is to use a water repellent. This doesn’t change the look of the wood (and won’t prevent the natural graying process) but still provides some water protection. For some people, natural means maintaining a stable brownish colour with some of the wood grain still visible. To achieve that look, select a semi-transparent or transparent stain in a wood-coloured tone. But generally clear finishes (vanishes) don’t perform very well against UV.
