Thread: will untreated pine painted in enamel last for out side use? ( table legs & Body )

Should be Ok, just watch out that water can't sit for long periods anywhere and can drain away if it gets exposed to a rain.
One problem can be the bottom of the legs sitting in pools of water.

thanks Bob, Im going to put a small rubber foot on the bottom of the posts to avoid possible water pooling.
Anyone else got any input just to put my mind at ease

A good primer followed by an exterior paint will last for years. Make sure you sand and paint the ends of the legs before the rubber feet go on.

Originally Posted by double.d

A good primer followed by an exterior paint will last for years. Make sure you sand and paint the ends of the legs before the rubber feet go on.

Noted thanks

I fill the bottom of the feet on my outdoor furniture with a thin epoxy. I wrap around the sides with blue painters tape, turn it upside down and let the epoxy soak in.

Originally Posted by Lappa

I fill the bottom of the feet on my outdoor furniture with a thin epoxy. I wrap around the sides with blue painters tape, turn it upside down and let the epoxy soak in.

Yes, this is a good idea. If you don't do this then for each coat of paint, start with the end grain, do the rest, then go back over the end grain again - making sure you "stab" the brush into it. That way the end grain will get twice as much paint as the rest - it'll be soaked right in by the time you get back to it.

Furthermore, the smoother you can make the end grain cut the less it will absorb moisture. That is to say that the paint will sit up on top of the grain more - this is good as it creates a better seal. That may sound a little bit odd, but it's the same deal with all moisture - paint and water. If it sits up on top then it is not getting into the timber, and that's what you want with water.

Here's an example. First pic is Spotted Gum cut with a chain saw. Second pic is SG cut with an 80 tooth Mitre saw blade leaving an extremely smooth cut. Both have had one coat of paint, and the chain saw cut probably had significantly more paint applied because it just sucked straight in.





If you think about it, the chain saw cut has probably got more than twice the surface area of fibres (all the little highs and lows).

thanks guys great feed back as per usual! i feel better now using the pine!

Originally Posted by tonycrh

HI All,
I had big plans of buying some hard wood to complete an outside table in time for Boxing day Lunch, It seems that I have missed judged my timing, I am thinking of using Pine DUR posts 100mm & Pine DUR for the frame 90mmx40mm, untreated pine BY the way easily available from the big green shed, I would finish the table legs & frame with an enamel Paint, My question to you is will this last? while the table is under cover it will still be out side in an alfresco area?

keep your plans

use the pine to knock-up some trestles.
use one or two sheets of yellow tongue as the top.
hide it all under a disposable table cover.

then after Boxing Day, build the nice hardwood table you really want to build

One year, I used 2 old doors on trestles and a Triton multi-stand for Christmas lunch as we did not have a table long enough.

Untreated pine last for absolutely ages. Recently I had the "pleasure" of fixing up a table made 25 years ago that had been sitting on a porch. Sure, the water had worked its way up the legs, but it was still in very serviceable condition.

On another repair, the leg was cut back due to extensive rot. To fix the height I made fake feet for it, like socks ..... just paint right over them.

The idea of some rubber feet nailed into the feet would work.

DSC06284 (450x800).jpg

thanks guys, all great advice!!!