[cali_surfer]

Been there.... dont that!! A varnish will never hold up to your liking because you have to recoat every so often because the stuff loses its strength on fighting the elements. I used a supposed marine urethane product on my wood and it lasted a whole 30 days before water had gotten underneath and started to turn the wood black from mildew. What I did was strip everything, restain, and I shot it with automotive clear. I used almost a gallon of that stuff coating all the sides. And if you don't know anything about prices of auto clears, well lets just say its double what you were quoted for the varnish. Expensive yes!! But let me tell you, this stuff has held up great now!! Theres some certain procedures you must follow when trying to spray auto clear on wood, but its nothing major.