: That is what I would reach for first being a woodworker. But I have
: never tried it either. That is why I was asking. Stains are
: typically sealed with something with a hard surface like
: varnish.

That's why I was thinking oil-based is the way to go; a water-based stain might run when it gets wet. Another possibility is to use a deck stain, as they're designed to handle weather and moisture.