Exterior Finish for Matai

[ZacSmith1]

I have a large slab of Matai (2000 * 750 * 50) that I have combined with heart Rimu and had made into a table that I want to keep and use outside. The table looks beautiful. The finish that has been achieved with sanding is amazing so the timber is dense and hard.

What is the best finish for the table? I have been recommended a marine varnish. I would prefer an oil finish but wonder if the timber would absorb it.

[NZStu]

Matai can be oiled, but it can be slow to absorb it due to the extractives. You need to be patient and use a good number of thin coats, and thin the oil down a little bit to help it along.

I wouldn't varnish it either. Just use a good outdoor oil and reapply regularly. Check out Supreme Oils, Haarlem Oil, Tung Oil Blend, Pure Tung Oil, Vegetable Turps, Shellac - Amber Flakes, Garden Furniture, Boiled Linseed Oil, Pure Turps. They have a couple of products that might do the job (I'm a big fan of their Haarlem oil myself).

Oh, and welcome!

[AngelaPetruzzi]

Wow, you will have an amazing piece of furniture. You may need to adjust your sanding depending on the product you choose though.
It would be a good idea to find out what you need to do with repairing a varnish coating on the exterior, for later on. Often the coating splits, water gets under the coating and the timber greys off in these parts. I’m sure you have seen enough fences this way.
Depending on the oil you use and the actual amount of “oil” in the product.......and being a dense timber don’t sand the final sand too finely...do approx120 - 150#, that way the oil has a chance to penetrate into the top pores of the timber. If sanded too finely, you are glazing the top and no oil gets in. (by adding thinner to it for it to penetrate only dilutes the product and you would need more coats).
You can always work up to finer finish in-between coats.
Also remember some oils do go very dark with time and while you are at it, make sure you have something that is food safe. It boils down to checking all the products out.

[ZacSmith1]

Many thanks for your advice. Most helpful.
I think we have too fine a finish at present and may need to "rough" it up a bit to get oil to be absorbed.