A variety of extractives are believed to be responsible for the natural durability in western redcedar (WRC) and these can be lost through biological detoxification or leaching. A variety of clear coatings were applied to WRC samples and artificially weathered with UV and water spray to test their ability to prevent the loss of extractives through leaching. Significant extractive loss occurred in the top millimetre of the weathered samples. Although extractive loss was significant in all samples, two finishes were able to provide some degree of protection: a waterborne polyurethane varnish and a water-based film-former with an alkyd varnish primer.