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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Newcastle
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    2

    Default Old bridge timber

    Hi, I have acquired some old bridge timber that I want to use as exposed posts and beams in a pergola. They are 225x125 and about 3m long. I want to clean them up and bring out the colour in the timber.
    i was planning on pressure cleaning them, then maybe using some sort of oxalic acid product on it and then sanding them with a belt sander or hiring a floor sander to bring out the the colour?
    what are people's thoughts on the best way to clean them up and bring out the colour?
    thanks

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Feb 2008
    Location
    Canberra
    Posts
    251

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Yort222 View Post
    Hi, I have acquired some old bridge timber that I want to use as exposed posts and beams in a pergola. They are 225x125 and about 3m long. I want to clean them up and bring out the colour in the timber.
    i was planning on pressure cleaning them, then maybe using some sort of oxalic acid product on it and then sanding them with a belt sander or hiring a floor sander to bring out the the colour?
    what are people's thoughts on the best way to clean them up and bring out the colour?
    thanks
    I was going to suggest a thicknesser, but they are big lumps of timber, and probably pretty grubby.

    I would pressure clean them, and belt sand them down. I think you'd be able to remove enough material with a normal belt sander without going the floor sander route.
    I'd be careful of the duty time on the sander though. Do one and then give the tool a rest.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2013
    Location
    Newcastle
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Thanks. Pressure cleaned them today. Heaps of crap cames off them! Looking a look cleaner now. Started removing remaining spikes in them. Should I use some cleaning product/acid on them as well? Or a wire brush wheel on angle grinder? Before sanding do you think?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    May 1999
    Location
    Tooradin,Victoria,Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    2,515

    Default

    Or a wire brush wheel on angle grinder?
    Yep.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Wagga Wagga
    Posts
    1

    Default

    G'day,

    A word of warning - be sure the timbers have not been coated in lead paint or some other timber preservative.

    Can kinda cause problems if it has.

    Cheers

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