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 Mike:
Good Morning Mike,
Thank you for getting in touch with your questions. The first thing to do is give the wood a good clean and perhaps a light sand. Good preparation is the key to a good finish. Once the wood is clean and ready I can recommend the Sikkens Cetol HLS Plus (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/sikkens-cetol-hls-plus) one coat followed by Sikkens Cetol Filter 7 (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/sikkens-cetol-filter-7-plus) two coats.
These two products will give exceptional durability and enhance the natural beauty and depth of the grain. You can use a filler such as Ronseal High Performance Wood Filler (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/ronseal-high-performance-wood-filler) as this is very versatile and can be over painted. Areas that are filler may have a slightly different appearance and test area are recommended at all stages of the project.
If you take a look at the products to see if they are suitable for your needs and feel free to get back to me with any questions you may have.
Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi,
We have just built a 5.5 × 4.5m log cabin (from TUIN).
It comes untreated bare wood; TUIN have 6 different manufacturers they recommend, but they are all stains.
Ideally we would like to paint the cabin to our colour choice. I know i will add preservative first, but what concerns me is what paint/protection to use that are compatible and UV stable.
The cabin website says i need a micron thickness of 80-120um of protection??
1 of the treatments they recomend would work out at £1050 to treat it! (carefree is £37.5 × 28L)
What could we use that will afford it the same depth of protection, but at a sensible cost, and a colored finish?
Thank you in advance.
Reply to Stuart C:
Good Morning Stuart,
I am sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I have to say that this is a set of requirement that I have not come across before when it comes to treating a Log Cabin, they are very specific. And I certainly would not expect a full treatment to protect the Cabin to come to that amount of money. I am not familiar with the Carefree and so its difficult to give comparison products, but I can recommend something that I believe will give a good level of protection and is easy to maintain over time.
It can be dependant on the type of wood used, but I can recommend the Barrettine Premier Universal (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-premier-universal-preservative) this will prevents wood boring insects, wood rotting fungi and blue stain and gives long lasting protection.
Followed by two coats of a top coat product such as Barrettine Log Cabin Treatment (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-log-cabin-treatment) this is a clear oil that will soak into the surface of the wood to give a moisture repellent finish that results in rain beading off the wood. As an estimet you will need to cover 40 m2 for your Cabin, this will require approximately 9-10 litre of the oil to complete 2 coats. Test areas are strongly advised.
The oil will protect the preservative and so if you maintain the oil with an annual or bi annual top up depending on how exposed the cabin is then the preservative will not requre a top up for afew years.
This is of course dependant on the type of wood you are applying to and if you have further details feel free to send via our contact us (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/pages/contact) page.Kind Regards Samantha.
Hi I’m getting a 6×6ft garden bar and would like to keep it to a light wood colour. What would be the best protection to put on it?
Thanks Tracy
Reply to Tracy:
Good Afternoon Tracey,
Thank you for getting in touch with us via our Blog. A garden bar is a great addition to any garden space and to keep a natural look to the wood, whilst offering great protection, my first recommendation will be to use a good quality preservative such as Barrettine Premier Universal Preservative (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-premier-universal-preservative) this will help to prevent mould, mildew and rot. It is a clear finish but it will darken the wood very slightly.
Then a top coat of exterior oil to give moisture repellency and slow down the silvering process of UV damage and for this there is a wide range of products but a couple to consider are the Osmo UV Protection Oil Extra (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-uv-protection-oil) this requires just two very thin coats for application.
Another option is the Barrettine Garden Furniture Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/barrettine-garden-furniture-oil) it will not peel and flake over time and is easy to maintain over time.
If you have a look at these two and feel free to let me know if you have any questions, I am here to help. If you feel the something more durable is required then let me know and I can offer some alternative suggestions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Have a bog standard garden fence and shed which have had to be painted with Cuprinol twice in the last four years despite the product saying it lasts five years. Is there a better product which would last longer?
Reply to Maureen:
Good Afternoon Maureen,
Durability of a treatment can depend on a number of factors that include, how exposed the fence is to the elements, what type of wood, any previous treatments, how well and often it is cleaned or maintained. 5 Years is a guide and quite optimistic for for a surface paint. Maintenance can be easy however if you tackle any areas of wear straight away this will help avoid damage and keep the paint lasting longer.
Alternatives are available but can give a similar length of durability and protection and still require regular top ups. For further advice please feel free to call and speak to one of our friendly team on 01303 213838.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hello, I am currently constructing a greenhouse from reclaimed mahogany which will hopefully last a very long time. When it is completed I want it to be dark grey in colour, what would you recommend to both preserve and colour the wood
Regards Duncan
Reply to Duncan Gill:
Hello Duncan,
Thank you for getting in touch with your enquiry. One option you could consider is the Osmo Country Colour (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-country-colour) this is a penetrative oil that colours and protects in just two thin coats. As you are applying to Mahogany this will impact on the colour that will be achieved and so a test area with a sample sachet is very important.
The Country Colour will give an opaque paint like finish but still with a natural feel to it. It does protect against moisture ingress however it does not contain Biocides and so a preservative is recommended for application before the oil and a good option is the Osmo WR Basecoat (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-wr-base-coat)
Alternatively for a slight more natural and less opaque grey finish there is the Osmo Decking Oil (https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/products/osmo-decking-oil) which has a dark grey tone in its range. Although marketed for Decking it is very versatile and as long as it is applied thinly will also give great protection to your wood.
If you check out these products and feel free to get back to me if you have any questions.
Kind regards Samantha.
Hi, we have recently installed 30m of new 2m high featheredge fencing around our garden and are obviously keen to get it into a preserved state asap. The boards are dry wood and untreated but have a greenish tinge which we quite like. Access at the moment is easy but will become more difficult as the project develops so we could do with something long lasting with either a clear or slightly green finish. We would be very grateful for your advice. Thanks, Ciaran