The sun is out and temperatures are on the rise. This is the time when we venture out to the garden to survey the surroundings and draw up the list of maintenance tasks.
When talking about exterior wood finishes, there’s always an assumption that it’s about treating your decking, garden shed or fence. Although these are indeed the most common garden features that need maintenance after a winter of wind, rain and freezing temperatures, wooden window frames, doors and porches should also be checked and given attention if required.
Dulux Trade Opaque Coating Systems
It’s all about the knowledge
A question we get asked a lot here at Wood Finishes Direct is “What is the best exterior wood treatment?” Unfortunately, there’s no single product that is better than another for every project and type of wood. In fact, deciding what product should be used can be a complex matter. That’s why we invest heavily in the training of our sales and service team, or as we call them, the SAS team. All of our support staff are rigorously trained so that they’re familiar with the products we stock, their properties and their suitability for any number of given scenarios. This means that we’re always able to give expert advice and guidance on which products and brands are best suited to your project.
Just some of the top brands available at Wood Finishes Direct
Exterior wood finishing types
Essentially, there are two types of exterior wood treatments: those that are absorbed into the surface of the wood, such as oil-based products, and those that form a protective coating on the surface of the wood. Both have their own unique characteristics and benefits.
Penetrative wood treatments
Penetrative wood treatments are products that soak into the wood and protect from within, such as decking oils, shed & fence treatments. These products are predominantly oil- and wax-based. They work by penetrating and then drying in the surface grain of the timber to provide a tough, durable, weather-resistant surface.
Oil-based products are popular for garden decking, sheds and fences.
The key benefit of this type of product is that it’s very easy to apply and maintain. When the finished surface starts to look tired and worn, it’s simply a case of reapplying a fresh coat. No need to sand, strip back or remove the old finish. Wood oils are very forgiving for patch repairs, meaning that localised areas of wear are very easy to repair and blend in with the surrounding areas. Leading brands that specialise in these types of exterior wood finishing products include Osmo, Ronseal, Barrettine and Cuprinol.
Exterior coating systems
What was once the realm of paints and exterior wood varnishes is now dominated by an array of ultra-modern wood coating systems. Whereas old paints and varnishes had a reputation for cracking, flaking and peeling, modern coating systems have been scientifically developed to withstand the effects of weathering and the constant movement of the timber as a result of moisture and temperature changes.
Sikkens exterior wood treatments seal and protect.
Modern exterior wood coatings are flexible and durable, meaning that they rarely need to be stripped back to bare wood if maintained correctly. This makes them a firm favourite for exterior joinery such as wooden window frames and doors. Coatings from brands such as Sadolin and Sikkens are designed in such a way that as the top coat wears over time, it starts to lose some of its colour and sheen. This is an indicator that the finish needs maintenance. Surfaces that require maintenance can be restored by following a few simple steps.
- Wipe down with methylated spirit to degrease the old finish.
- Lightly sand the surface to remove any ingrained surface dirt and debris. This also provides a key for the new top coat.
- Wipe down a second time after sanding with methylated spirit to remove all traces of sanding dust and any residual grease from hands and fingertips.
- Once dry, a fresh top coat can be applied to restore the appearance and maximise protection of the timber.
Other brands that specialise in translucent and opaque exterior coatings include Dulux Trade and Crown Paints. Also, see Sadolin’s Superdec Opaque Wood Protection finish.
Have a question about exterior wood care projects?
If you have an exterior wood care project to tackle and are not sure which product to choose, give our resident wood experts a call. They’re able to provide free, expert wood finishing advice, so that you can make a well-informed choice on which products are suitable for your project.
We love to see before, during and after photos of any wood finishing project. If you would like to share your decking project pictures with us, you can either send us some photos or share them on our Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram pages.
260 comments
Reply to Charlie:
Good Morning Charlie,
My best advice would be to replace any rotting wood but I appreciate that this is not always an available option and in this event you could have look at the Ronseal Wet Rot Wood Hardener (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/ronseal-wet-rot-wood-hardener) its a cost-effective, long-term alternative to replacing joinery affected by wet rot and soaks deep into the fibres of rotted wood to strengthen the wood from within.
You can then follow this with Ronseal High Performance Wood Filler (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/ronseal-high-performance-wood-filler) to fill and finish the damaged area.If you take a look at these products and feel free to let me know if you have any further questions via our contact page contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi
We have recently purchased a log cabin and are miffed with what paint to use to achieve a solid painted look, It has been treated for rot, fungi, insects etc
we originally purchased the Cuprinol garden shades series but finding that requires 6 or more coats to even get near a solid colour (tested it on spare timber first) the log cabin is huge (5×4) and simply dont have the time (or patience) to paint it 6 or more times.
Wanting a solid colour finish (grey/blueish colour) with little to no wood grain showing through, but not something thats going to break the bank (like with osmo)
What would you suggest?
Michelle
Reply to Michelle:
Good Afternoon Michelle,
Thank you for your question, we have two exterior opaque finishing products that come in a wide range of colours. The first is the Cuprinol Garden Shades (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/cuprinol-garden-shades) having used this myself on some cladding have found it to give a good opaque finish with two or three coats, it can depend on the colour you are using and the wood you are applying to but I would expect a timber log cabin to require just three coats to get the desired finish. The tin will need stirring all the way to the bottom to ensure the pigment is evenly distributed throughout the liquid, often pigments will sink to the bottom of the tin resulting in a slightly washed out look at the top.
Another option is the Ronseal Garden Paint (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/ronseal-garden-paint) this to has a great range of colour options and will only require two to three coats for application. The two products are comparable in finish and durability however. Again full stirring for at least 5 minute to ensure the pigment is evenly distributed.
I hope that helps and if you have any further questions feel free to contact us via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Kind Regards Samantha.
I have recently made a cross as a grave marker made in mahogany, it looked lovely the colour was bright. Finished with spray polyurethane clear satin.
One month later it looks vey tired, the sun has done it no favours an it looks in part quite grey and scruffy.
Any advice please?
Best
Phil
Reply to Phil Corby:
Good Afternoon Phil,
A clear product will give limited UV protection and if the product you have used does not have any UV protection this could be the reason that the wood has faded fairly quickly. Mahogany being a red in tone wood will be prone to fading slightly quicker than usual as this can be the nature of the colour red.
Are you able to let me know what product you have used Phil and if you are planning to sand back ? Details can be sent to me via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page and I will happily advice further.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi, I have just ordered a log cabin. It is made from untreated pine and will house a hot tub. What treatment/stain would you recommend internally and externally, keeping as natural colour ass possible?
So far I have looked at sadolin and sikkens. But not sure which is best. Thanks
Reply to Vickie:
Good Afternoon Vickie,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. The Sadolin and Sikkens are pretty much like for like in terms of quality and protection, and will give great protection to your Log Cabin. Both ranges will require a two coat or even three coat system to give the best level of protection to your wood and so if you would like to email me with which option you prefer and I will be happy to give further advice on application and number coats, in which order will best suit your needs.
These are both exterior ranges and so for the interior if you would like to look at a product such as the Fiddes Hard Wax Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/fiddes-hard-wax-oil) which will give a natural look and feel and will be easy to maintain over time.If you take a look and feel free to email me with any questions you have via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.
Kind regards Samantha
Dear Samantha ,
Sorry lost your previous reply .
Am removing old bungalow facia .Intend to replace with ,new pine shiplap ,total area about 10sqm.
Please advise on best preservative undercoat and then Mahogany mat finish ,or suitable one coat /both sides application ,
Many thanks ,
John.
Reply to John Owen:
Hello John,
Thank s for getting back to me, I previously advised – For a long lasting finish you could have a look at the Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus. This has a range of colours and you can apply 2-3 coats for a semi gloss, natural looking finish. It is brush application and if you are able to apply to both sides before installing this will also prolong the protection to the wood.
I would expect this to last for a minimum of 5 years and possibly longer, depending on how exposed to the elements it is. A top up coat at the 5 year mark may help to prolong even further.
I hope that helps and if you have any further questions please do not hesitate to get in touch.
Kind regards Samantha.
I’ve bought a house with wood frame doors and windows that have not been maintained.
The insides of the doors/windows are in okay condition but the exterior surfaces are in bad condition so that doors/windows get soaked from rain and swell/jam making them difficult to open/close (after a decent hot spell allowing things to dry out they become easier to open/close again).
I am not sure what the wood they are made from is but think it is pine. The exterior surfaces are not rotted but do have a number of cracks. What do you recommend to bring the frames back to a maintained condition? To help stop the water penetration I was thinking of filling the cracks with an exterior filler – would this be sensible to do?
Regards,
Mike.