While windowsills never get the same attention as our furniture and cabinets, they can’t be forgotten. They have a tough task: they have to look as good as the rest of our interior woodwork, but they also have to stand up to more sunlight and water. If you’d like to see how I protected the windowsills in my office last week, just take a quick look here.
The first thing I did was to remove the dirt and spider webs using Minwax® Wood Cabinet Cleaner and a soft cloth.
Then, a very light scuffing with either a fine synthetic sanding pad or a piece of #220-grit sandpaper creates thousands of microscopic scratches in the finish, helping the new finish ‘grip’ the old one. Afterwards, wipe off the dust with a clean cloth.
Not just any finish can withstand the weather that a windowsill will experience, so I always reach for Minwax® Helmsman® Spar Urethane. It provides a protective barrier against rain, moisture, sunlight, and temperature changes.
Since I’m using the oil based version, I’m also using a natural bristle brush to lay down a smooth coat of finish. You’ll discover that Helmsman® Spar Urethane is a little thicker than Minwax® Fast-Drying Polyurethane, because of the additives which shield the wood from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
Quick Tip: always stir the finish thoroughly, as over time the critical additives have a tendency to settle toward the bottom of the can!
As a final step, use just the tips of your bristles in long smooth strokes to even out the finish.
Once it dries, you can’t see how Helmsman® wards off the invisible ultraviolet rays of the sun, but you can see how it causes water to bead up rather than penetrate into the wood.
Windowsills that get an excessive amount of sunlight will need an occasional ‘boost’ of protection. Rather than brushing on another coat, whenever they begin to look dry, I will simply rub a coat of Helmsman® Teak Oil over the top of the Helmsman® Spar Urethane, keeping my windowsills looking great and feeling strong!
Until next time,
Thanks for stopping by!
Bruce
“Parting Shots”
It didn’t take Percy long to figure out that one of his favorite napping spots was now nice and clean. The good news is that he waited until it dried to jump up and check out the new finish. – Bruce