My outdoor bench didn’t hold up

[Kythera_82]

So I made a small pine bench for my porch a few months ago. It looked nice at first, but now the wood is splitting across the seat. I used a basic outdoor finish, but maybe that wasn't enough.

I live in a humid place, and the bench gets some sun in the afternoon. Could that be causing the cracks? Should I use a different wood or a better finish next time? I would love some advice!

 

[w0odshap3r]

That sounds like classic seasonal wood movement, which is very common with pine outdoors especially under those conditions.
The combination of high humidity and direct afternoon sun is constantly forcing the wood to expand and contract, which causes the splitting or checking.
For your next build, you'd be much better off using a rot-resistant hardwood like white oak, cedar, or cypress.
They handle moisture much better!
If you stick with pine, you need a serious film-building finish, like a marine varnish, to slow the moisture exchange way down, or accept that it will check over time.

 

[KnockKnock]

Yeah, pine doesn’t hold up great outdoors, especially in humid or sunny spots, it expands and contracts a lot, which leads to splitting. Tougher wood like cedar, cypress, or even treated lumber would handle the elements better and next time, seal all sides including the underside with a high quality exterior spar varnish or oil finish to give it a fighting chance lol