In the process of replacing some radiators in my 350 year old cottage some beams will be exposed which are not normally seen. I understand they should be treated with linseed oil, but am unsure as to whether that should be boiled or just regular linseed oil - or whatever?
Keith
Not sure it matters much as both sorts will soak in. Boiled oil will "dry" more quickly than raw. Be aware that it will darken the colour quite a bit.
Use a commercially blended finishing oil, like Liberon's. Easier to apply, more predictable drying (especially in this weather!) and it won't stink of fish.
If you do use linseed, use boiled. Raw linseed won't fully cure (ever!) and will always remain slightly sticky. Neither will "soak in" worth mentioning on exposed wood of this age.
If the timber is that old, especially if it's oak, then a bit of oil isn't going to darken it appreciably.
We are in the process of doing up an equivalent age building and my builder is talking about wax. I was going to see if I could find any in a liquid form to make it easier to apply to fairly rough oak beams. Does 300 year old oak need any treatment at all? Does anyone know?
Joanthan
It doesnt, even for outdoor use. However if you do use something to improve its appearance its preferable to use something in keeping with the character of the property. These are the people to ask:
No it does not. I shoved a bit of linseed mixed with a stain on mine, but that was more to try and achieve a match with newer timber nearby.
Oak, if left to its own devices will go silvery over time. A coating to keep the air out seems to stop that.
Sikkens do interior wood finish - see
Peter K
Why? What does wax have to offer here that he thinks is so preferable to oil? Or is he just claiming this because he's seen floor waxes offered for sale and knows where to buy them.
For real "period" work, it would be left bare. However we want a little more finish than that, so oil is now popular. Wax though is a finish for furniture, not carpentry. The intention of wax is to provide a layer that can be polished - that's hardly appropriate.
Wax is also hard to apply to rougher surfaces, such as oak beams. You probably wouild need to apply it as a liquid, rather than a paste. Water-based emulsions would be easy, but they're hard to get a reliably good finish with. Many other wax solvents have a really serious fire hazard if used in this quantity.
Hope they get it sorted out, place has been a great resource for these sort for things for years. If they dont get it back up I should have the info stored somewhere - with the right treatment oak can give a really rich finish.
NT
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