Blackbutt stairs- how to treat

[absos]

Please Help. I recently purchased some recycled blackout timber that was cut to size. I used it for outdoor stairs and within 1 week it had large craks in it. The timber yard has now replaced the timber and I have treated it with Spa and Deck but am so disappointed with how it looks. Now to me it looks like any other wood treated with orange stain. YUK.
What can I do???
Is there a treatment that doesn't turn wood orange? How can I strip the treated wood or how long before it degrades??? I am so upset as I just wanted nice outdoor stairs and I tried to invest in good wood but now I have hideous orange stairs. Help

[Wood Collector]

It would be better to post this in the finishing section. My suggestion would be a clear decking oil (cabots?) I would imagine that a paint stripper or heat gun applied carefuly would remove the finish.

[Xanthorrhoeas]

Wood Collector's suggestion is a good one I believe but some experienced renovators amy have some other ideas so the home renovation forum may also give you some suggestions. From what I know of finishes the issue is usually UV protection. The reason that long-lasting external finishes for wood are either pigmented or paint is to cut out the UV. The decking oils do work well but they need to reapplied very frequently.

One finish that I have found to stand up very well to the weather is a marine finish - available from boating shops - called Deks Olje. It comes in two types, the #1 very thin oil soaks in and protects timber as well as leaving a satin finish. I don't know if it would be too slippery in wet weather but it might be. The #2 oil is much thicker and creates a gloss finish - would be slippery I suspect. I have used this on boats and on external Australian Cedar doors.

Good Luck

David

[AngelaPetruzzi]

Whilst the Blackbutt is recycled, it may have lived its previous life indoors and now externally due to sun and rain, has cracked.
It is a yellow based timber so anything with a light stain or clear, may make it look various shades of orange.
Ring the manufactures of the product for advice how to remove it but often it will be a matter of sanding the surface back. If you use chemical cleaners, beware of the vegetation around the area. The time it takes to wear off depends on the product and climatic conditions amongst other things. If you sand the surface, don’t sand too finely as you will close the pores of the timber and if you would use penetrating oils, the closed pores will not absorb as much oil as well as making the surface more slippery when wet.
Why don’t you try to obtains some sample pots and do some testing on an off cut? If you do not like the orange, stain it a different tone. Penetrating oils, allow the pigments to be trapped in the pores giving ita different colour hoe without it looking like paint. Yes, you would need to rejuvenate regularly but this would be a quick and simple process of applying one coat to top up the pores. With the Livos decking oils, generally rejuvenation is required anywhere from 12 -36 months but this is also dependant on wear and tear, climatic conditions, which side the stairs are facing etc.
If you intend to use a layer forming coating like a marine varnish, you may want to add something to it, e.g. sand to make it a better grip and not so slippery. When wet unless you are holding on to a rail of somesort, wet marine varnish is like glass.