Back in the 1980s I did some exterior woodworking for a client. They were very pleased, at least at first. Eight months later I got the phone call. The finish was peeling and ugly. “How could you let this happen?”, they asked. “If we’d know your work would only look good this long, we never would have hired you!” Ouch.

I refinished my work, but also learned a lesson. Never trust an outdoor wood finish that hasn’t been tested. In 1990 I began formally testing deck finishes, and I’m still at it today. Click below to see the latest deck finishing product I’ve added to my testing program.