Welcome to part 2 of our series on wood types. This week I’ll be discussing oak & oak wood treatments. If you haven’t already read part 1, feel free to go check it out here: All about Pine Wood.
A Little History of Oak
Oak (or quercus as it is known in Latin) is a hardwood with some 400 known species. It has always been a popular wood in the UK, but in recent times it is even more widely used in construction and also as internal fixtures in clubs and gyms etc. For furniture construction, oak has become ever more the wood of choice, a trend expanding year on year since the year 2000 when China, India and Indonesia substantially increased their export markets. Pine has been the wood to suffer from oak’s popularity as it is more widely available in the Far East.
The flowers of many oak trees are known as catkins and they are produced by oaks when they reach their reproductive age, which is typically around 20 years. They are triggered by rising temperatures in spring. Ultimately it is the catkins of many oaks that turn into the acorns, so maybe that popular phrase… ‘mighty oaks from little acorns grow’ should be ‘mighty oaks from little catkins grow’, although it doesn’t quite have the same ring, does it?
Acorn of the mighty oak tree.
Treating Oak Wood
With regard to finishing and treating oak, there are numerous possibilities, but there are certain requirements that are asked for time and again… Often we are asked how external oak can be kept looking natural. Whilst the question is easy, the answer is not so straightforward. These are the necessary considerations:
- When water penetrates oak, it reacts with the high tannin content within oak, resulting in ‘blackening’.
- The sun’s UV rays will turn the oak to a silvery hue over time.
- Clear products are inevitably not completely clear, so they tend to ‘bring out’ the natural colours of the oak, normally making it a bit darker and warmer.
- The levels of rain, wind and sun will make a difference to how quickly the oak changes colour.
Oak turned grey/silver by UV rays & water damage.
Oak barrels traditionally used for whisky and beer.
If the requirement is to keep the oak looking as natural as possible, whilst preventing blackening or silvering as much as possible, then the following is the best system we know of:
- 1 coat of clear wood preservative
- Followed by 2 coats of Osmo UV Protection Oil 420 Extra
Osmo 420 Extra offers UV resistance and also contains biocide which is important for external timbers as it prevents the wood from becoming diseased with wet rot, dry rot and blue stone etc. The oil also repels water, thus preventing it from going black.
If the requirement is to protect the oak whilst keeping the silvery appearance, then the following is the best:
- 1 coat of clear wood preservative
- Followed by 3–5 coats of high-quality tung oil such as Morrells Tung Oil
Tung oil is one of the clearest oils on the market and doesn’t offer UV resistance.
If the exterior oak needs to be coloured, then the following system is recommended:
- 1 coat of clear wood preservative
- Followed by 1 coat of your chosen colour of Osmo Natural Oil Woodstain
- Followed by 1 coat of clear Osmo UV Protection Oil 420 Extra
If blackening on exterior oak needs removing, then scrubbing with a fungicidal wash such as Barrettine Mould and Mildew Cleaner is recommended. On the other hand, it may be the silvering that needs removing. If so, a scrub with Osmo Wood Reviver Gel (which contains oxalic acid, amongst other active ingredients) is recommended.
Unfinished oak.
Treated oak.
One of the most common enquiries we get is how to keep internal oak looking natural. This is not just a case of simply applying ‘clear products’ as they bring out the natural colours of the wood, thus making it a little darker and more golden. A very good indication of how your oak will look once it has been finished with a ‘clear’ coat is to dampen an area by applying some water with a clean cloth or sponge. The look achieved when the wood is damp/wet is very close to how it will look once a clear varnish or a clear oil has been applied.
Some customers like the way oak colours when clear coatings are applied to it, whilst others want it to be as close as possible to how it looks in its natural state. A more natural look can be achieved by using wood oils that have been specifically formulated to retain the natural appearance of interior oak. These products include:
- If an oiled finish is preferred, then apply two thin coats of Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural or Osmo Polyx Oil Raw.
- If a varnished finish is preferred, then 1 part Manns Classic Wood Dye can be mixed with 50 parts Manns Extra Tough Interior Varnish.
Clear wax polish is the one exception to the above… If a clear wax polish is applied to bare oak (or just about any other wood for that matter), then the colour is kept very natural indeed. It’s just a question of whether a wax polish is going to be durable enough. Internal doors, for example, are considered, by most people, to be ideal for finishing with wax, whereas a floor will look nice once waxed but regular maintenance is required, so most people don’t opt for wax for this reason.
If the oak needs to be made darker, then Osmo Polyx Oil Tints or Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints are ideal because they colour and protect the wood in the same application. It is always good to try and finish with a clear coat if possible because if the wood gets scratched, it is the clear coat that scratches before the coloured coat and therefore the scratch is not as noticeable.
Oiling Consideration
If oak is being oiled, it is a good idea to sand it with sandpaper that is no finer than 150 grit. The reason for this is that the pores of the wood are more open, thus allowing the oil to sink into the wood better. Better absorption equals greater protection.
Interesting Oak Stats
- Oak bark is rich in tannin and is used by tanners for tanning leather.
- Acorns can be used for making flour or they can be roasted for making acorn coffee.
- Tannin dissolves and escapes from the wood. Wine barrels are made from oak and it is the tannin that helps to give the wine its colour.
- Sessile oaks of Europe can reach heights of up to 40 metres.
- Oak trees regularly live to be 500 years old, although 1,000-year-old oaks are also known.
- A mature oak tree can produce up to 50,000 acorns!
Need help finishing a project made with oak?
For more help and advice on how best to finish oak, contact our team of resident experts who are always on hand to help with project advice and product recommendations.
We love to see before, during and after photos of any wood finishing project. If you would like to share your project pictures with us and our followers, you can either send us some photos or share on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages.
469 comments
Hi
We have a fairly new solid oak staircase that is inside but leads up to an external garden door that is often left open so rain can sometimes enter. When originally constructed the staircase was varnished (presumably with an interior varnish) which has blistered and let the rain stain the timber. We have sanded back and it looks good but wonder how to protect it (we want to keep the natural finish – not let it fade to silver). Finish needs to be resilient (it is a well-used staircase) but protect from occasional rain.
What would you recommend?
Reply to Nigel:
Hello Nigel,
Thank you for you inquiry, you could have a look at applying an oil product to your stairs. This will leave the floor looking natural, and offer a good level of water repellency to the wood. It will not water proof the wood however, there is no product that will do that, but it is also easy to patch repair should any stains or marks occur.
I would recommend a clear Decking oil such as Holzol Decking Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/collections/decking-oil) is a great product to look at as it is suitable for interior use also. Regular maintenance coats will help to keep water repellency good and it has some UV filters in it also. Do let me know if you have any other questions.
Kind regards Sam.
I love all the advice …..
But first what can I do to get a horrible coloured gloopy wood stain off my garden furniture that some fool has slathered on it!
Is there a wonder product out there,or a tried and tested method available, to add to elbow grease?!
Thank you.
Tracey
Reply to Tracey Reeves:
Hello Tracey,
Without knowing exactly what the product applied is, it would be difficult for me to advise further but if you can find out what it is and tell me a little more about the wood and finish that you would like to achieve then you can email me directly at wood@finishes.direct
Kind Regards Sam.
Hi, I have a reclaimed oak farm table that was a gift, made for me by a cabinet maker that my husband does business with. The table is beautiful, however they sprayed it in their shop with some kind of coloured varnish that i absolutely hate. I was dreaming of a much more natural finish that would age well and offer protection from spills yet still allow the wood to remain more natural looking and patina over the years. I think I am looking for some kind of oil product. I have a couple concerns, first how is the best way to remove the coating that is on the table now, I am worried that if I sand the finish off that I will destroy the reclaimed look of the wood, so maybe a chemical stripper would be the best? If I use a chemical stripper do I need to use a wood conditioner after? Secondly, can I stain the wood before using an oil, and what kind of maintenance will I need to keep the wood aging beautifully? Thank you for your time and help.
Reply to Jennifer:
Hello Jennifer,
Thank you for your inquiry, we have a great Sample Pack of Peelaway (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-peelaway-1-and-7-sample-twin-pack), an effective varnish and paint stripper from Barrettine. It’s a poultice based system that is applied like a paste then left to dissolve the paint or varnish. Always do some test areas first to judge the required thickness and time required for the poultice stripper to work and to ensure no adverse reaction. I would think that the Peelaway 7 would be suitable.
Once you are back to bare wood you could look at a tinted wood oil such as Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Tints (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil-tints) that will colour and protect in one treatment. If there is not a suitable colour in that range then you could consider a Manns Classic Oak Stain (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/manns-oak-wood-stain) to colour and then a clear oil such as Fiddes Hard Wax Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil)
Test areas will be vital in helping to achieve your desired colour. I hope that helps and if you have any other questions please feel free to get back in touch.
Kind Regards Sam.
Hi Sam, I am glad finding your blog. We moved in a new house that has a solid oak front door. It was oil treated when it was installed 7 years ago but hasn’t been properly maintained. It has a lot black spots over it and the bottom of the door is in a silver colour. It was swell in winter time. I would like to ask for your advice on how to redcoat the door to make it water tight again. I am not sure how to remove the black spots and remove the silver coloured patch. Overall the door has a light golden colour but I would not mind if it turns a darker colour after treatment. Many thanks
Lily
Reply to Lily:
Hello Lily,
Apologies for the delay in getting back to you. I would firstly recommend treatment with Barrettine Mould and Mildew Cleaner (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-fungicidal-wash-multicide) to clean away the black marks which are likely to be mould as a result of moisture ingress. Once this is done you can use a restorer product to bring the grey areas back to an original state Osmo Wood Reviver Gel (6609) (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wood-reviver) is a good option and just requires a bit of elbow grease.
Once the door is clean and dry it’s ready for a clear wood preservative treatment (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/collections/wood-preserver). This will protect the door from Mould, algae, mildew and rot. Although the wood preservative will be touch dry in just a couple of hours, it should be allowed to fully dry for 24 to 48 hrs before applying a clear exterior wood oil such as Osmo UV Protection Oil Extra (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-uv-protection-oil). This combination of products will give a good level of water repellency and UV protection whilst leaving the wood micro porous.
I hope that helps and if you have any other questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
All the Best Sam.
Hello,
We have bought an apartment in London where all the skirting boards and door surrounds are of white oak. These fittings are untreated and have been in place since the 2003.
We believe the wood needs some treatment but wish to retain as much of the natural look as possible.
Is there a recommended product and does the fact that the fittings are over 10 years old have any bearing on what to use or how many coats may be applied.
Many thanks
Hugh
Reply to Hugh:
Hello Hugh,
For a product that protects but leaves the wood looking as natural as possible you could have a look at the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil Natural (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil-oak-lightening). It a hard wearing and durable oil that requires 2 thin coats for application. Use a natural bristle brush for application. If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get back in touch.
All the Best Ben.