Finishing reclaimed oak beam

[Tigger]

Hi,

We’re in the process of installing reclaimed decorative beams in a cottage, here is one of the beams in its naked state, what finish would you recommend?



The beam supplier suggested beeswax but the local decorators merchant recommended a hard wax oil like Osmo polyx or Fiddes stating that it would be easier to apply, particularly in the gnarly bits and require less maintenance. I’m unsure which way to go, slightly wary that the oil might make the wood go very yellow, which is how the beam looked when wet from being treated with wood preserver. Also unsure what kind of beeswax, is that a similar result to Fiddes Supreme Wax?

Also rather keen to protect against woodworm given previous problems in the house!



Thanks in advance.

 

[a twig]

Shellac then wax is often considered “the way” but you can easily just get away with a slathering of linseed oil and calling it done

Personally I’ve used Fiddes Hard Wax Oil on most things and yet to be disappointed

 

[jamest]

Looks nice as it is to me. Why put anything on it? Best way to avoid woodworm is to ensure it stays dry

 

[Tigger]

Thanks a twig. I’ve been put off linseed by what I’ve heard about the smell. It’s a holiday let and guests aren’t as forgiving as family

I was looking at either the Osmo polyx oil (struggling on colours) or Fiddes either hard wax oil or supreme polish. The supreme polish you can’t get samples of and then there’s how to deal with the cracks.

Do you have any particular colour recommendations on the Fiddes hard wax oil?

 

[a twig]

I’ve just stuck with “Clear” tint and used Matt for timber and Satin for cabinetry.

 

[a twig]

Looks nice as it is to me. Why put anything on it? Best way to avoid woodworm is to ensure it stays dry

Applying some sort of finish makes managing dust etc a lot easier.

If it’s old and it’s dry then you’re right - the finish doesn’t really matter from a protection point of view

 

[Cubist]

I would be more worried about the provenance of these timbers and particularly where and how they were stored, for how long in what conditions and what other wooden materials/products were kept nearby. Also, how are you installing them and how are/will they be secured in place - pockets in masonry walls perhaps? Then there is the matter of where and how they are stored on site - are they indoors within the building and is that building heated and well ventilated Are the timbers stacked atop each other or supported on trestles and blocks?

In terms of anti-woodworm treatment; that's best done before the timbers are installed as that would permit all faces and end-grains to absorb the chosen treatment. Once that has dried the end grains and any surfaces that may be embedded in walls or will receive a plaster coat or be in contact with it. Nevertheless, there is always the risk that these timbers may have been infested recently or could be in the future - which is another reason why they should, in my opinion, be left raw so that they can accept a future anti-woodworm treatment.

Regarding finishes; personally I prefer to leave the timber raw to maximise its ability to expel any moisture it may have gathered during any stage of its recent life. It also helps as the timber will continue to gather moisture after installation due to human occupation and activities in the building and the heating and ventilation systems/practices employed. Before applying any finishing product however you must ensure that all old coatings are properly and fully removed - failure to do so will produce a patchy and uneven finish.

Any hard finish you may apply will reduce/limit the ability of the exposed timber to breathe and creates a long term risk. This is also true to some small extent of shellac as it creates a hard glossy surface over the wood that can briefly resist moisture penetration - consequently small beads or evaporated moisture from the atmosphere can form in cold spots near ceilings which will ultimately cause unsightly 'spot clouding' of the finish. Shellac is also supplied in a limited number of colours but the most commonly available is brown/garnet which reduces the natural yellows of the oak but can highlight the darker reds and blacks of the timber. In my opinion and, painted on as it must be with such timbers, shellac produces a horrible and gunky finish that is not at all attractive.

Better by far is a natural oil finish such as linseed or perhaps tung oil. Both of these have - to my olfactory senses - a pleasant odour (better than any air freshener anyway) and in any event this soon wears off. Waxoils, such as the Osmo and Fiddes products, will produce similar odours but these are not as long lasting in my experience of them. Linseed and tung oils also help to refresh and preserve the natural timber and will work to highlight its natural colours. Tung oil is predominantly produced in China and is usually supplied pre-thinned while linseed is produced in the UK and is available in both raw and boiled forms which are then thinned with white spirit to ease application. As a consequence tung oil can prove to be the more expensive option. However, both will operate to consolidate and strengthen the softer/weaker tissues of the timber and, in their thinned state, can achieve high depths of penetration and reach far into any shakes/cracks in the timber. For timbers such as these I would not use any of the waxoil treatments as these produce a tough hardwearing final finish better suited to floors and some furnishings.

 

[Kearn]

There is absolutely no need to coat timber in anything. It will change the appearance and be a pig to apply on old faces. It is not required.

Equally, no chemical treatment for insects is appropriate. Or useful. Much the opposite in fact. Dry timber and environment, means no beetles can survive.

However, as @Cubist says, it’s an odd one adding decorative timbers of such weight. Not a small undertaking. But, I’d hope these have been stored adequately in the dry and acclimatised in your space before installation so their previous issues don’t follow indoors.

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Thanks a twig. I’ve been put off linseed by what I’ve heard about the smell. It’s a holiday let and guests aren’t as forgiving as family

I was looking at either the Osmo polyx oil (struggling on colours) or Fiddes either hard wax oil or supreme polish. The supreme polish you can’t get samples of and then there’s how to deal with the cracks.

Do you have any particular colour recommendations on the Fiddes hard wax oil?

I recently used Osmo rapid clear matt on my pine floorboards. They're slightly more brown-orange than I wanted, but I noticed that after a few days of leaving it to cure it's lightened a lot and I am loving the floors.

I should have taken @Cubist 's advice though and got the Osmo raw matt which has a tinge of white in it to just soften that orangey-brown.
I didn't in the end just because I had to order it and wait more days, and the store already had the matt clear. I have gotten impatient lately.

Anyways, here's a good video to show the difference - go straight to 50seconds.

I did contact Osmo though about the rapid - they said it contains a "hardener" which is not in the original tins. I emailed them because I noticed a bit of a smell even a couple of days after application, and didn't expect this as most said their experience was that it doesn't smell of anything once dried. So just be aware of that.

You can also just email Osmo - they were quite helpful. Good luck with your project!!

 

[lizziecupcakes]

There is absolutely no need to coat timber in anything. It will change the appearance and be a pig to apply on old faces. It is not required.

Equally, no chemical treatment for insects is appropriate. Or useful. Much the opposite in fact. Dry timber and environment, means no beetles can survive.

However, as @Cubist says, it’s an odd one adding decorative timbers of such weight. Not a small undertaking. But, I’d hope these have been stored adequately in the dry and acclimatised in your space before installation so their previous issues don’t follow indoors.

You can get faux timber and it does look real! Accordingly to tiktok diy-ers anyway

 

[a twig]

I think we are all violently agreeing here - the wood doesn’t need a finish but if you want it for cleaning / cosmetic reasons then there are various options to choose from?

 

[Tigger]

Thanks all. The comment about being able to woodworm treat them in the future (again!) has got me thinking - anyone used Liberon Bison liquid wax finish? It’s supposed to be removable with white spirit which would be a heck of a lot easier than removing a hard wax oil. It’s said to be easier to apply than beeswax and given that they’re on the ceiling…

 

[lizziecupcakes]

Thanks all. The comment about being able to woodworm treat them in the future (again!) has got me thinking - anyone used Liberon Bison liquid wax finish? It’s supposed to be removable with white spirit which would be a heck of a lot easier than removing a hard wax oil. It’s said to be easier to apply than beeswax and given that they’re on the ceiling…

If your concern is mostly woodworm, then you need to just keep it dry. I don’t think the wax oil is going to prevent that. Imo

 

[a twig]

Agree 100% - if the wood has no sap in it and it’s dry it’s too hard for anything to eat so nothing to worry about.