What is best to preserve the wood and keep natural finish - using cedar for boxes

I'm making my boxes out of cedar and would like to keep them looking natural, but also want to preserve. Don't want to have to paint boxes every so often. Looking for most permanent solution, if there is one, that keeps the natural look of the wood looking nice.

I use Tung Oil and the boxes look better every year.

Great thread and very timely. I plan to order cypress boxes and had started to look at what to treat them with. I'll be ordering a gallon of 100% tung oil tonight. :-)

Thanks again to the site and its very helpful members!

I like the look of tung oil finish on walnut and cedar. I also like the protection of clear polyurethane. Get the good exterior stuff, water base, no toxins.

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Originally Posted by Rxmaker

I use Tung Oil and the boxes look better every year.

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I'm envious! How do you do that? I use several coats of Tung oil mixed with citrus solvent on my WRC hives. They look beautiful at first, but then turn grey the first year as if I hadn't done anything at all. :(

(My climate rains 10 months out of the year).

What is the difference between Tung Oil and Teak Oil?

teak oil is generally a mixture of oils,hardening resins, and solvent. The composition aries by manufacturer but does usualy hae a good deal of tung oil in it.

After 1 year and more after 2 years, the Tung Oil has cured to a nice golden color. I had a couple of gallons left from finishing a maple floor in my shop so i decided to use it up. A little goes a long way. I mixed it 50:50 with mineral spirits so it would penetrate the wood better. Dries in a day and then you can put another coat on if you want. You can hardly see that you have put anything on as it penetrates rapidly and has little color. As it cures it turns more golden. You can put on additional coats in years to come without sanding as long as the boxes are clean. I do not like paint especially white paint. White reflects too much heat and in this part of the country and elevation the girls need all the help they can get in the morning. Summer morning temps are between 40 and 50.

Probably the best long-term treatment (which also looks natural and great) is boiling in wax. There are lots of threads and YouTube videos; search on "wax dipping" and variants. Other treatments on the surface, oils and urethanes that are painted on, usually only last a few years. At least here... our UV damage is greatly accelerated so we just watch the stuff break down in the sun :rolleyes:.

Here's a link to a wax dipping guide, one of several good 'uns.