wood treatment

[Angela]

I have a new house that's partly clad with Douglas Fir (just over a half at a guess). The developer said that the cladding would last about 10 years. I hate to think of the expense to re-clad the house but I can't believe that if it is looked after it should last a lot longer. When it was raining yesterday I looked at my cladding which was getting wet yet my shed treated with cuprinol Duckback just had the water rolling off it so it got me wondering if there was something similar which could be applied to my cladding, only I don't want to change the colour.

On searching I came across this product

which to my uninitiated eyes looked like just what I want, however it's a US company, so no help there. Has anyone any ideas or views on what I can do to preserve my Douglas Fir cladding? Be kind because if there is a solution I may just be hiring the Medway Handiman to come and do it for me!!!

Angela

[dom]

That sounds incredibly short. Did he or she perhaps mean the finish would only last 10 years before re-treatment?

Have a look at the Sikkens range of wood treatments, they are highly regarded.

[dom]

"lifetime" and "60 years" - but absolutely nowhere does it claim to be a "wood preservative" or make any claims about how long it will last in service. A brilliant piece of misleading spin.

[EricP]

Why on earth did you buy a crap money-pit like that?

[Angela]

That sounds incredibly short. Did he or she perhaps mean the finish would only last 10 years before re-treatment?

Have a look at the Sikkens range of wood treatments, they are highly regarded.

Seems they only have coloured finishes. I tried to email them but the email bounced! Looks good though. Thanks

[Angela]

You know you're absolutely right, thanks for pointing that out to me, I'd be much better off living in a council house like you and getting the council to fix things.

[Tanner-'op]

Angela,

Firstly, if the timber has been fitted in an untreated state or treated with a sub-standard process, then I would seriously suggest that you start budgeting for its replacement at around the 10 year mark - if not sooner if it's in an exposed position with regards to the prevailing weather pattern.

Now as far as treatments are concerned, you could try Sikkens, Cetol (a multi coat system)

from Akzo Nobel or Sadolin - these are very good quality, if a little pricey - but if applied correctly by an experienced and informed painter, will give you a minimum of 5 years protection.

As regards to the colour, any coating will alter the colour of the wood, but if my memory serves me well, Cetol can be obtained as a 'clear coat' system (but please don't hold me to that) :-)

Try and contact a painters merchants in your area for more information.

As a matter of interest, I have experience in the use of all three of the products over some 20 odd years and would recommend the use of them without hesitation.

Tanner-'op

[zaax]

Why not just a clear coat of somethiong like Sadolin?

[<me9]

Neighbour got Douglas fir when his house was built 30 years ago. Still as good as new. Probably had a couple of coats of B&Qs fimest in the intervening years.

Mine was done (at the same time) with softwood cladding, and is still ok, but has been done with a version of wood preserver a couple of times. it always seems to absorb the rain, but no rot, and I won't change it until I get round to improving the insulation behind but I might then refit it).

It should last a hundred years at least, with the odd coat of preservative (preferably creosote if you can get it).

[EricP]

Afraid not dear. I own my house clear and it's in good condition after 30 years and worth 10x what I paid for it.

Some have sense when buying, others not.

Never mind :))

Bye bye.

(Timber merchants can give good discounts for the amount of timber you will need to wrap up the money-pit.).

lol

[stuart noble]

Doug fir is a more resinous timber than "ordinary softwood" and should last a good deal longer. There is no reason for it to rot other than where it's in prolonged contact with water. Pretty easy to see where that's likely to happen

[mail]

Dear Angela

1) the wood will last longer than that particularly if none is in ground contact 2) to keep it sound you need a) to keep it dry b) to keep UV light away from it or 3) impregnate it with chemicals that protect it from fungi and/or keep it water proof/ resisstant

If this were mine and I wanted long term protection I would disassemble the cladding and take it to an OS borne double vac plant that offered the wax water repellant as well as the fungicide and treat the lot I would bribe the company to leave it in the bottom of the plant for a couple of days take it out and dry it (say a few days) prime every bit of end grain with Duiux Weathersheild green primer I personally would then use a Sikkens or Saddolins stain to protect from UV but if you do not want a stain put up with the UV degradation that will occur This will act also as a locus for precursor stainers that attack the wood and prepare the way for true wood rotting fungi

If you simply don't want any of this aggro put on a spray application of a water repellent each summer when it is dry

As for the product you rather liked, I note it is a) not a preservative b) is applied by a water-based solvent (and hence is not likely to get into the side grain more than a small fraction of a mm c) there is no such thing as a life-time gurarntee and anyone who believes that has to be pretty gullible

I see no claims for it that can be compared with proper CEN, Agrement or similar standards (eg from the USA equivalent) and when I see products claiming non-toxicity I get suspicious (NO wood preservatives are classified as toxic - they are generally only irritants) Chris G

[Angela]

Dear Angela

1) the wood will last longer than that particularly if none is in ground contact 2) to keep it sound you need a) to keep it dry b) to keep UV light away from it or 3) impregnate it with chemicals that protect it from fungi and/or keep it water proof/ resisstant

If this were mine and I wanted long term protection I would disassemble the cladding and take it to an OS borne double vac plant that offered the wax water repellant as well as the fungicide and treat the lot I would bribe the company to leave it in the bottom of the plant for a couple of days take it out and dry it (say a few days) prime every bit of end grain with Duiux Weathersheild green primer I personally would then use a Sikkens or Saddolins stain to protect from UV but if you do not want a stain put up with the UV degradation that will occur This will act also as a locus for precursor stainers that attack the wood and prepare the way for true wood rotting fungi

If you simply don't want any of this aggro put on a spray application of a water repellent each summer when it is dry

As for the product you rather liked, I note it is a) not a preservative b) is applied by a water-based solvent (and hence is not likely to get into the side grain more than a small fraction of a mm c) there is no such thing as a life-time gurarntee and anyone who believes that has to be pretty gullible

I see no claims for it that can be compared with proper CEN, Agrement or similar standards (eg from the USA equivalent) and when I see products claiming non-toxicity I get suspicious (NO wood preservatives are classified as toxic - they are generally only irritants) Chris G

Thanks Chris. I don't think I would want to go to the extent of removing it, I figured if I had to do that I would just replace it with Cedar! I know it will turn silver and I am happy for it to go like that. I see what you mean about a waterbased product, my neighbour in fact is contemplating using decking oil, not sure if that is an option!

Angela

[The Natural Philosopher]

Thats the point: wood above ground that only get the odd shower on it lasts: Its where water collets that problems start.

e.g I have a 15 year old shed I have done NOTHING to apart from refelt it twice.

where soil piled up against te base, I have rotten wood. Where a poor bit of felt let water through, I have a rotten floorboard.

Everywhere else is 100% OK.

My mother had a cedar wendy house for about - what- 40 years..in fact I think its still there ..got splash of cuprinol every other year. As long as the rain dont linger, its fine.

[Pete C ukdiy]

You could but it would still turn grey over time from sunlight/UV

If you want to stop this use Sikkens Cetol or Hicksons Restol in a light shade.

It will make the wood a bit darker but protect it from UV.

Keep a close eye where the ends of the planks are, this is where water can soak in easiest and problems start.

cheers, Pete.

[edith auger]

angela....just stumbled on your ? boy are you getting the run around, in my humble opinion anyway. First Lifetime is distributed by valhala who are located in alberta,calgary i think.all hardware stores worthy of that name carry it. home hardware for sure.I have been using it for years and have used it in many applications decking, fences ,outdoor furniture siding etc. every application has performed beyond what i dared hope for....after years of All the fancy name brands many mentioned in replies you got....I consider lifetime to be one of the best things that has happened to outdoor wood. about 12 years ago our city applied it to our board walk along our waterfront (about 2 miles of it)it still looks like it did on day one and has never been retouched,our Ont. natural resources uses it on all there stuff because it is completely safe and non polluting even in water.I love it so much they could take all the other products off the market as far as I'm concerned it originated in sweden I believe ......if you can not find it I'd mail it to you even......18.99 makes a gal.in dry form its smaller than a cig. package.....good luck girl.....just noticed you are probably writing from the u.k.you should still be able to get it it is a international company

url:

[mail]

environment of the North American continent is different from ours - cold winter - hot summber and so any of the efficacy tests (and I note none you have quoted is scientific only anecdotal or empirical) are of no pertinence to a temperate climate as we have in the UK - at least at present! It is illegal to use any form of biocide in the UK (Europe) that has not been assessed and passed by appropriate scientific testing - the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 started this off then we had the COSSH regs 1989 and all the follow up stuff. Most of our really good garden biocides seem to have disappeared now because of the recent requirement to prove efficacy and do testing and for many small firms the cost was just not worth it. If the recommended product is not approved either it is so mild as not to be effective (and how can it be effective as a PRESERVATIVE if it is water based and inorganic?)or not a preservative at all but simply a covering. Chris G