Uncle Tom's Chairs

 Lucky us. Tom Buhler gave us two wooden chairs for our back porch. They've been outside for years, I understand, but each was in good shape. The smaller of the two needed a good cleaning with a wire brush (moss and bird deposits) but the rocking chair was in wonderful shape.

 Both, however, I thought, needed a little protecting from the elements. Any time you protect wood items from rain, you're going to increase their lifespan. So I dug around in the garage and found I had a full gallon of Thompson's Water Seal. Perfect.

 I have already brushed both chairs with a wire brush and swept off the dust. Thompson's, unlike paint, is easy to use and clean up. It drips so I used a few sheets of newspaper as a drop cloth to protect our concrete porch.

 Here's the small chair already protected. If it looks like I've missed a few spots, it's because the wooden surface is more worn in spots. It takes the weather seal differently there. Promise ... no misses.

 I always do the bottoms first, turning the chairs upside down. The wood takes on a darker - and warmer - glow as soon as the sealant touches the surface.

 Here's a close-up shot of the difference the seal makes to the appearance of the wood. Pretty remarkable, isn't it? Wood which has been bleached by the sun and weather-beaten is suddenly new again.

 The seat's an important spot to coat thoroughly. Being horizontal is takes all the weather. It also takes everyone sitting down. Rough, wearing work.

 And here, a couple of hours later, is the rocker.

 Thanks, Tom!

[Editor's note: No, Tom isn't my uncle. That just makes a nice title, don't you think?]