I am building a patio table out of redwood, what to use for finish?

Barry,
I made a hexagonal patio table some 25 years ago and used redwood for the center.  I finished it with Polyurethane.  It has stood up well.  I have recoated it a couple of times.  My Grandson uses it now, and it still looks good.
  Ron

How easy was the recoating such as dealing with any peeling given that polyurethane is considered to have poor UV resistance? Or are you using a similar product that has more tolerance to UV.

Hi Bill,
It was not difficult to recoat.  It had not peeled.  I gave it a scuffcoat sanding with 150, then a couple of light coats of Poly.
  Ron

Barry Irby wrote:

My son asked for a table for his patio.  I have some redwood and will use that.  A round table with a slat top.  Would you put any finish or just let it weather?

Here's my 2 cents, Barry...
First, I know of no finish that will stay intact for more than two years outdoors, and most will only last a year before you need to recoat. I know this from my experiments back when I was building driveway gates. The failure mode of film finishes is fracturing and peeling or flaking off, which requires removal and refinishing. My father had a successful procedure for finishing his redwood picnic table: He varnished it with some kind of spar varnish -- it may have been Waterlox Marine, three coats at first and then a refresher coat every year -- and it never needed further refinishing because it never got to the point of peeling. Of course, the finish thickness continues to build, over the years, so it's a compromise. There are lots of marine varnishes out there that also hold up well, but they all require recoating at some regular frequency. I've had decent results on exterior cedar -- railings, seating, etc. -- with various Sikkens finishes ($$$), but they all have a characteristic orange look, which might not be to your liking, though it will be somewhat muted by the deeper red color of redwood and you should plan to add a refresher coat at least every two years.
Ellis