Finishing bush poles & h'wood window framing

[josham]

Hi, I'm a bit of a newbie here, so G'day all.

I'd really appreciate some advice on finishing the timberwork for a bush pole frame building with floor-to-ceiling recycled hardwood frames rebated into the poles (see pics).

I've previously used oxalic acid to clean up the poles, then decking oil (Cabots) to finish them. But of course they don't retain their natural colour- they soon go back to grey.

What do you reckon's the best way to finish all this timberwork and retain the natural timber colours as long as possible? The hardwood window frames are less of a problem, I guess, being dressed and heartwood. The sapwood surface of the poles soaks up a lot of product.

Also, how can I best lift the decking oil off the poles that have been coated with it, if a better coating is to be used?

Really appreciate your help...
Josh.

[Master Splinter]

Learn to love the grey - otherwise you are holding your hand up for continual maintenance.

[soundman]

Lots of people don't want to hear it, BUT, there is no such thing as a clear fininsh that will last long term outside or exposed to sun.

If you realy want a good timber look resign yourself to refinishing annually or every 2 years at the outside.

I laugh when I see a new building with all the great looking exteriour clear finished timber work...drive past 2 years later and almost every time it all looks like crap or its been painted in a solid colour.

there are some wonderfull advances in paints and such..its very reasonable to expect 20 years out of a top shelf exteriour paint...anything clear even the marine two packs..forget it.

For durability you simply can not match a good quality new generation white paint.

AND that goes for ya window sills I frames too.

sorry.

cheers

[noty]

Hello Josh, I agree with Soundman and Master Splinter there. I am also building in recycled hardwood. I used Solver decking oil-the cheapest, Williams have it, as after my own tests l found little diff in results between it and the much more expensive oils. Anything you use that sits ON the wood surface is signing you up for heavy maintenance both in labour and frequency-sanding and more often. Moisture tends to congregate under any faults in the finish and blooms it, creating an ugly look. With the oils I simply wipe down or dust the area and oil again. Sometimes the colour comes back and sometimes it does not much - dep on the timber. Initially I flooded it on with three coats and did not wipe off the excess-did it on a hot day and the wood loved it-just let it soak right IN. Tip-the level of sanding you do on the wood will increase the colour retention. I sanded all my exposed wood with 60 grit on an angle grinder-no marks after some practice (you get a lot on a house!!) Also good for keeping clean of spider webs etc. Owner building takes time and some of my timbers (verandah posts) are into their 7th year. They are dark brown but easy to clean. I re-oiled one recently and it came back a little in colour. Lots of afternoon sun exp though - another factor.
Friends have tried Lanotec and are happy with it-very costly. Northern Rivers Rural Buyers have it. Finer sanding is the trick to a good finish with this one IMHO.
Re the poles - that sapwood will probably swallow a ton of oil finish and with poles always expanding and contracting a top coating will really have it's work cut out keeping its integrity, so maybe grey poles and and well oiled windows will give a lovely contrast. We have some stunning timbers here, eh.
Good luck with it
Cheers Tony.

[josham]

Thanks noty, soundman and Master Splinter. I appreciate your comments. I think I'll persist with the clear finish idea for now, and if I end up painting it all in another few years well so be it - exercise is never a bad thing.

For better or for worse, I ended up getting Intergrain Ultradeck for the poles and window frames (and for some decking nearby). If it ever stops raining here, and we get some nice hot sunny weather (say in about the next 3 years), I'll actually be able to apply it.

[soundman]

Serioulsy reconsider josh mate.
I am faced with stripping a whole house of window frames that have been clear finished.

Particularly if you are laying up on irregular surfaces like poles.

depending on what you end up overcoating with in the future and what film forming finish you use now you may have to sand all the way back to bare wood to achieve a tolerable result.

any way..your problem not mine.

cheers

[StuartMcC]

An exterior clear varnish is a commitment to a lifetime of sanding back and re coating. A penetrating oil is a commitment to a lifetime of coating - but at least you won't have to sand.

I reckon you've done the right thing so far, but wouldn't do the clear varnish later.

Ive found the longest lasting, penetrating exterior oil to be intergrain ultra deck. You'll get a more than a couple of years on your frames before you have to recoat. Just slap on another coat when it starts to fade.

[josham]

Well cheers soundman and stuart, lots of food for thought there...