I got this unfinished patio furniture, now I must finish it.

[Bill Dungsroman]

A co-worker of mine offered me this nice set of oak unfinished patio furniture. For free! So I took it. It's a table with benches, two lounge chairs, and a love seat. But, it's unfinished. So, my question, how do I finish it? I can't even finish a computer game, much less scary wood things someone might sit or eat on.

I'm going to hit the hardware store this weekend. I was figuring on buying one of those little Mouse or Squirrel or whatever vibrating hand sanders, but hell if I know what kind of sandpaper to get (the furniture doesn't need much sanding). Crazy stuff like stains, varnish, paint? Beats me. Someone help me out or link me to bobvila.com or something.

-Bill the Mechanically Disinclined

[Bullhajj]

I have no idea, but there is always some kind soul in home depot to help with stuff like this. I think the most important thing is to just buy enough stuff to do all the furniture at one shot. Then it all weathers the same and matches real nice. Alternatively if it's already sanded and made of Oak, you probably don't need to do much of anything but start using it. Oak is a royal pain to sand, even with super duper power tools, so don't go there if you don't have to. If you can sit and not get a splinter, it doesn't need any sanding. If you can get a splinter, it may just mean no sitting on the oak furniture in your underwear. paint a little sign that says, Jeans Only!

[Toddy]

Oak or not, you don't want to put it outside without a good protective stain. You just need a little sanding to allow the stain to stick and penetrate, so don't worry about heavy power tools. Consider applying stain with a pad, not a brush, as you get a better, more even, finish that way (which you want with better woods, but is even more important with cheaper stuff like Ikea pine). Also more fun to do it like that, unless you love painting.

Look into all that at the local hardware store. I'm not sure I'd recommend Home Despot, because they stock mostly Behr stains, and they're not highly recommended (there was a class action suit against the company over the quality of the product settled for something like $100 million last year). Also, if anyone is reading this in Canada, avoid the Rez crap sold at Canadian Tire. Bought some last summer and it is the consistency of water, with presumably the same protective values. Worst paint/stain I've ever used.

[noun]

Look into all that at the local hardware store. I'm not sure I'd recommend Home Despot, because they stock mostly Behr stains, and they're not highly recommended

What he said. I stained my deck with a can of Behr one year, and it was nearly gone after 7 months. I'm pretty sure it's just brown watercolor paint.

[Supertanker]

We finished a triple bunk bed for our kids a couple years ago. It was an enormous pain in the neck that convinced me I will never buy unfinished furniture again. Sand it, wipe it down with cheesecloth to get the sawdust off, stain it, let it dry, stain it again if needed, let it dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry.

Of course, six months later we had to split the kids into separate rooms, and we donated the bed to a women's shelter.

[Bill Dungsroman]

We finished a triple bunk bed for our kids a couple years ago. It was an enormous pain in the neck that convinced me I will never buy unfinished furniture again. Sand it, wipe it down with cheesecloth to get the sawdust off, stain it, let it dry, stain it again if needed, let it dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry, apply clearcoat, let that dry.

:( Now I know why my coworker, who was at first going to sell me the set for $100, ultimately said "You know, for the work and money you'll have to put into this stuff, why don't you just take it?"

But anyway, thanks for the suggestions. Lowe's, no Behr, mild sanding, cheesecloth, stain x 2, clearcoat x n+1 where n = the number of times you're willing to clearcoat the stupid things before losing your patience with the project.

[Talisker]

I got this unfinished patio furniture, now I must finish it.
Sounds like a lot of games I own. Hope you have better luck than I did with Silent Hill 2.

[Joe O'Malley]

Here's an easy trick for outside furniture to avoid a lot of the hassle that goes with refinishing:

First, give it a light sanding just to smooth out any whiskering or splinters.

Now treat it with water seal, like Olympic.

Now hit it with a stain or tung oil (tung oil is good, but kind of dark). Because the furniture is already treated with the waterproofing the stain won't penetrate as deeply or soak the wood to the point of heavy whiskering. If you do get some light whiskering, sand lightly and repeat. Just do this every couple years that the furniture is outside, and you'll be fine. It really doesn't take long.

[Bill Dungsroman]

Here's an easy trick for outside furniture to avoid a lot of the hassle that goes with refinishing:

First, give it a light sanding just to smooth out any whiskering or splinters.

Now treat it with water seal, like Olympic.

Now hit it with a stain or tung oil (tung oil is good, but kind of dark). Because the furniture is already treated with the waterproofing the stain won't penetrate as deeply or soak the wood to the point of heavy whiskering. If you do get some light whiskering, sand lightly and repeat. Just do this every couple years that the furniture is outside, and you'll be fine. It really doesn't take long.

Sounds great, thanks.