Finish or sealant for a bonsai bench?

[Aquaman]

Hi.

After several months of pondering and a few weeks messing around with Google Sketch Up I have finally started work on a bonsai bench. Well it's actually more a seedling bench, but it might feature some bonsai one day.

The frame of the bench it's treated softwood (because its cheap) with merbau slats on top.

It will be out in the elements and will be watered daily so I want to give it some really good protection. I love linseed oil because of the look, cost and ease of use, but I don't think that alone will offer enough protection.

The bench will have two tiers, so don't want to use anything that would be toxic to the trees on the lower tier.

Anyone have any suggestions or experience?

[Bougy Fan]

Have a look HERE there were a few options put forward

[Aquaman]

Thanks Bougy Fan.

I was trying to find that post as I remembered reading it a while ago, but I was searching for the wrong key words.

It seems like the favourites are:
- Mix 50:50 boiled linseed oil with turps
- Danish oil
- Cabots decking oil
- Sikkens Cetol HLS or Deck
- Bondalls Monocell marine stain
- Intergrain aqua deck

Interesting that nobody is suggesting a marine varnish. It seems that this will offer the best protection, but is expensive to buy and hard to apply.

[Bougy Fan]

Well the Bondall Monocell is a marine product, but I have not used it. The trouble with all of the clear or natural type finishes that show off the timber is they just don't last very long. If the coating is let deteriorate then it all has to be sanded off and started again.

[rawhide]

I use a product called Aussie clear its an oil based product that lasts for ages and is cheap as chips compared to other products.
Mitre 10 stocks it here in Tasmania but I'm sure other hardware places would stock it.
Brings treated pine from a greeny colour to something like Oregon.