Post #418017 by Grapa-RuHa on Sun, Nov 9, 2008 10:16 AM

You are absolutely right rocker, but i mean oil in general as opposed to poly and especially varnish. I have used oil for garden furniture and general linseed oil with good results. Stuff like varnish hardens and starts cracking due to the wood still working. And once there's a crack, moisture gets in and makes things worse real fast. Because oils always keep some elasticity and penetrate the wood much deeper its more a matter off putting on a new coat every 3 to 5 years instead of checking every inch of wood for cracks or blemishes in the varnish every year. But thats just my opinion/experience, weather conditions (there's a lot of moisture and rain as well as hot and cold here in northern Europe) will also play a role in what's better to use as well as personal taste. Hope this helps