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Thread: Cracks in Irondbark Poles
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16th September 2013, 05:44 PM #1Senior Member
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- Oct 2010
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- Newlands Arm
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- 134
Cracks in Irondbark Poles
Howdy, I have some seasoned red ironbark poles that I'm in the process of sanding prior to oiling them. They will be verandah posts in our new house.
Takes about 4 hours to sand one back but I'm very happy with how they look. Bloody hard and bloody heavy. I have wet the pole to show the colour and grain.
IMG_5534_Small.JPG
My question is; If you look at the pole on the left in the photo below there is a degree of cracking in the base. I would like to seal that in some way to keep water and critters out. I would prefer an oil finish on the posts for ease of re-application.
Can anyone recommend a product to fill the cracks with (I'm thinking a wax based product as I reckon it needs to be flexible)?
Also, can you recommend an oil to finish the posts with that will bring out the colour and grain.
IMG_5530_Small.JPG
Thanks
Rickey
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16th September 2013, 09:19 PM #2GOLD MEMBER
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- Nov 2012
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- Brisbane
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- 1,700
I'm not an expert on bare poles. It looks like the sapwood is still there and it will differ from the heartwood. A really penetrating marine oil like Deks Olje might serve best. Easy to re-coat. The no. 2 gives a gloss finish. Make sure you have plenty of airflow as the fumes are nasty. Good luck.
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16th September 2013, 09:46 PM #3GOLD MEMBER
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- Mar 2003
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- Newcastle
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Those cracks are just the nature of the timber. Nothing will ever get in there and eat it. Its just too hard. Filling them will just be a waste of time as the fill will eventually fall out. Unless you are going to paint them and then a nice thick oil-based paint would do the job. Ditto with a heavy oil (80% oil 20% thinner) as a lot of it will go into the cracks and partially seal them up. However you must still rub back the oil, bag it off when it is still wet or you will get an icky surface. In a way its a pity you didn't leave them unsanded as the weathered surface goes a very nice dark grey with a coat of oil.
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16th September 2013, 09:56 PM #4Senior Member
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- Oct 2010
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- Newlands Arm
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Thanks Len and Xanthorrhoeas.
I do prefer the look of them sanded even though it is a very time consuming job. Because of the hardness of the timber they end up very smooth and tactile. More so than if I left them as is and just oiled them. I'm just after an oil that will preserve the colour. I'm not worried about preserving the timber per se. The engineer reckons the bit in the ground will last at least 50 years so I'm sure the bit above ground will be fine.
What do you think about a decking oil? I checked out Deks Olje thanks X and have no doubt it would do the job but it is very expensive. The posts will get minimal weather being under a verandah and with a 600mm eave.
My concern about filling the cracks was more to do with the bigger crack in the bottom of the pole. I'm not concerned about the surface cracks.
Regards
Rickey
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17th September 2013, 11:08 AM #5Skwair2rownd
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- Nov 2007
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- Dundowran Beach
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G'day Ricky, Nice poles and i like your plan for them.
I recently put Red Palau hardwood slats around the house from the ground up to floor level.
I finished them with Cabots Aquadeck. It is a good product and given that your posts will be
somewhat protected, it should last well.
No matter what finish you use you will never end up with the same tactile sensation you have
with the newly sanded posts.
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17th September 2013, 11:25 AM #6Senior Member
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- Oct 2010
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- Newlands Arm
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- 134
Thanks Artme, I had thought of using Aquadeck. We use the 'Natural' finish on our hardwood deck but it does make the timber go a bit orange. Might have a play with an off-cut of the pole and see what it looks like. I'm thinking a bit of oil on the post and a quick going over with a scotchbrite pad to smooth them up again. Will see how we go.
Rickey
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19th September 2013, 11:25 AM #7Senior Member
- Join Date
- Oct 2010
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- Newlands Arm
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- 134
I'm now thinking I might just let them go grey again. I like the smoothness of them and they needed cleaning up with the sander so it needed to be done.
Anyone see any problems in just letting them weather naturally?
Rickey
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19th September 2013, 04:07 PM #8.
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- Feb 2006
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- Perth
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Rather than sanding try using a wire brush on an angle grinder.
It needs to be used lightly and along the grain but it leaves a more natural finish than a sander and gets into the dips and cracks better than a sander.
That's how I do all my wained edges.
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19th September 2013, 05:56 PM #9Senior Member
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- Oct 2010
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- Newlands Arm
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- 134
Thanks Bob - bit late though. Might try it with the next house.
I understand where you are coming from and with rougher logs I would definitely go that way. These ironbark logs are basically smooth already so all I doing is getting rid of the dirt and the paint from the hire trailer. As I said in my previous post I reckon I will let them go gray again for a more natural look.
Rickey