[BobTheFish]

callin on you folks who finish things

I have these wonderful slabs of dogwood, but i want to use some in outdoor benches. Is there anything i can use (indoors or out) that will keep the nice pink without neutralizing it or darkening the whole piece?

There are epoxies available with UV protectant, as well as spar varnishes. I'd normally say go with the epoxies, but I have a hell of a time figuring out how to get epoxy on such natural curves. Minwax apparently has a clear water based UV protective spar urethane that might be worth looking into: http://www.minwax.com/wood-products/exterior-clear-protective-finishes/

Buyer beware though, I haven't used it (though I typically place a lot of trust in minwax products), and I'm not guaranteeing it'll work. The main point is to get some UV protection on the thing!

Keep it indoors as well to minimize its exposure to UV rays, and best of luck. It's truly a beautiful piece.