Thread: Finish for Outdoor Red Cedar

I'm doing a western red cedar balustrade for our deck. The balustrade is made of natural edge boards anywhere between 150 and 250mm wide (waving in and out with the natural edge) and is designed to be a bit rustic looking and to provide somewhere you can put drinks or a plate when we're having a BBQ.

While the balustrade is under the edge of the deck roof, it's only just and it will cop fierce morning sun and some rain.

I know nothing about finishes. I had thought about just sanding and using a decking oil, but I have found decking oil needs replenishing too often and also it needs to be an impervious finish that can be washed off pretty easily. Amongst other things, birds tend to perch on it and leave little reminders of their presence, so I don't want anything porous that is going to take a stain.

What would your collective, great and highly esteemed wisdom suggest, both in terms of what to use and how?