Outdoor > Stain

Product Recommendation:

Exterior 450 Stain MUST be sealed with topcoat.

Exterior 450 Stain is General Finishes only exterior-rated stain.  
Exterior 450 Topcoat is our only exterior-rated topcoat.

Exterior 450 Stain and Topcoat are engineered to be compatible with each other. General Finishes cannot guarantee that the chemicals in our products are compatible with the chemicals in other manufacturer's products. If you decide to use topcoat from a different manufacturer, test on a hidden area of your project before beginning.

Both products are water-based:
Re-coat in 2 hours, cure in 21 days.
Soap and water clean-up.
Low VOC.
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Can I seal an INTERIOR STAIN with an EXTERIOR TOPCOAT instead?

Interior stains (NOT exterior-rated) are much more likely to chip, crack and fade when faced with outdoor elements. Interior wood stains are formulated for interior use and do not contain UV absorbers, mold retardants or HALS (Hindered amine light stabilizers used to protect the polymers from the effects of photo-oxidation.)

TABLES, CHAIRS AND OTHER HORIZONTAL SURFACES

Exterior 450 TOPCOAT performs best on vertical surfaces such as a door or fence. 

If you are refinishing a horizontal surface with Exterior 450 TOPCOAT such as a table top or chair, we recommend storing those projects under shelter, but it can perform well without. The UV protectants and mildewcide will protect the integrity of the finish beyond what an interior rated product is capable of, but standing water will degrade the surface if it is not wiped off in a timely fashion.

Note: UV protectant will protect the integrity of the film but it will not prevent the color of the wood or an underlying stain from changing from exposure to sunlight.

GF Exterior 450 Topcoat is NOT recommended on decks/patios which become extremely slippery when wet.