Built a workbench out of reclaimed wood. Laquer/stain or paint?

[knave]

A pallet made out of 2x6's and 4x4's was in the trash pile at my work. They were only too eager to help me load it into my truck and get it out of there.

So I took it apart, pulled all the hardware and threw together this bench. Best part about it was that I didn't spend a cent. I used only the pallet and a few pieces of scrap I had laying around...and the screws I had leftover from other projects.

My thoughts are to lacquer it and leave it as an outdoor work bench.

Anyone have any suggestions on what to use?

[EvilNuff]

Its a workbench so you want functionality over pretty I say just paint it with an outdoor paint and be done with it.  If it was not an outdoor bench I would say don't finish at all.

[pbj]

Should already be treated wood, shouldn't it?

[knave]

Should already be treated wood, shouldn't it?

Yeah, I thought it might be, but there is nothing about the color that says it's treated.

it's not pressure treated lumber, but I've heard that pallets are treated in some way...it just was an odd size one of pallet. I haven't heard of a sure way to tell.

As it is I dabbed some wood preservative on the ends of the 4x4's that touch the ground. I'm pretty sure it will last longer outside if I finish it in some way.
Paint is an option just the ugliest...(I probably have some laying around...)

[Sarver Systems]

If you see a symbol stamped in the wood that looks sort of like a 1-sided pinetree, then its been treated to resist termites and bugs. They're used for shipping internationally.

Other than that, I don't think pallets are waterproofed in any way.