Best Way For Preserving The Wood
The Wood which has been converted from logs to lumber must be preserved otherwise it will rot and decay. The preservation of wood is very important as it will extend its life, and at the same time will increase its durability, apart from that it will protect it from pests such as insects, rodents or fungus. The best way of preserving wood is as follows:
Oiling
- Need For Oil: Apply the oil to the wood whenever the wood feels dry. The rubbing in oil is one of the most common ways to preserve the wood. The best and the right oil will soak into the pores of the wood, this will help to keep the wood strong enough and will slow the absorption of water by wood that can cause rot. Simply a couple of coats of oil can protect the wood for years to come. The wood has dried out if a dab of oil is rapidly absorbed.
- Cleaning: In order to prepare the wood for oiling give it a cleaning by dusting off any dirt or debris. Use a dry towel or even a rag to wipe off the wood.
- Select: The user can select the oil or commercial product. There are a number of oils that are available to preserve the wood products suitable for home use. Tung oil gives good protection, but it has a high price and long hours of drying time. Use food-safe mineral oil, or coconut, walnut, or almond oil for the cutting boards and other kitchen applications. Boiled linseed oil is one of the common choices, but provides very poor water resistance and turns yellow over time.
- Materials: Take a clean and dry rag for rubbing in the oil, and also a newspaper to catch up spills. Most of the oils are flammable, so it is important to keep a metal container nearby for storing these materials after the oiling is done.
- Rub: Now its time to rub the oil slowly. Take the cloth for rubbing the oil on the wood, cover the entire surface with the oil. For the best results, dab the oil on single splash at a time, and start rubbing it across the wood bit by bit.
- Excess Oil: it is very important to wipe the excess oil from the surface quickly within a few minutes. The oil that will get soaked into the wood will give the protection and excess oil will only add a useless surface layer which will become gummy or discolored with the span of time.
- Apply More Coats: Once the first coat is dry then sand the area and apply another coat. At least 2 or 3 coats are recommended for long-term preservation.
Additional Protection
- Wood Preservative: After the last coat is dry use a wood preservative with pesticide and fungicide. The Water repellent will give additional protection against water, which is very helpful in case the wood will be exposed to serious humidity. For the safety against scratches, use the polyurethane or any other wood finish.
- Minimize: The user should try to minimize the wood's exposure to moisture as well as to the sunlight. This will, in turn, help the wood to last for a longer time. Try to remove snow as well as dust snow from wood furniture as soon as possible.
- Wipe: Clean off the dirt often. Sweep the wooden decks frequently.
- Stain Or Paint: Apply any stain to the wood without removing the current finish. The user should use tough exterior grade paint.