# restoring softwood window frames best stained finish?



## [email protected] (27 May 2011)

I've little knowledge of modern exterior finishes and theres so many products out there its confusing so hoping someone can help  

I have some softwood window frame in situ, finished quite badly in the past with some sort of dark stained varnish stuff. Its keyed on the wood well but has rubbed off in places to bare wood in other words a patchy finish. I need to refinish these frames so they look presentable.

Dont want to strip them back and am happy to brush on a maximum of two coats of something after a cursory hand sanding - so questions are

1. what stained exterior finish is best to cover patchiness in 2 coats?
2. what product is most forgiving in putting on top of a patchy existing finish.

not too bothered aboiut price

what I dont want to is end up spending £20 on sample tins to find soemthing that works..

thanks in advance...


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## Woodfinish Man (1 Jun 2011)

The problem you've got here is that any quality exterior finish is generally microporous and needs to deeply penetrate the timber. By not sanding off the old finish you won't be giving any new finish a chance to penetrate and therefore it's lifespan will be greatly reduced. Also there's no guarantee of compatability with one product on top of another. For the best result I'd recommend removing the old finish and applying a stained microporous finish such as Butinox 1.

Hope this helps.


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## DeanN (1 Jun 2011)

Take a look at Sadolin Supercoat.


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## [email protected] (1 Jun 2011)

thanks for replies. Re. Sadolin supercoat, do you mean superdec? I was actually in a Crown centre today going right through their products. Superdec would have been good but the colours are not very good if you want to replicate a wood colour and you cant really tell until you've spent £20 on a tin.

Thanks Woodfinishman, never heard of Butinox - seems similar to sadolin translucent varnish or is it better?

Today put 2nd coat of Sadoiln classic basecoat and after these 2 coats the discolouration is receding so hopefully a third coat (top coat) will do ok. Outside its a different story as the existing finish I'm guessing was water based and is eroding away and whats left looks like mud also a bit puttyish so I've stripped this off back to bare wood. One thing I will say is the Sadolin oil based finish dries quite hard but takes 24hrs before recoating which is a pain..


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## DeanN (2 Jun 2011)

No. Superdec is an opaque finish, whereas Supercoat is a high build translucent finish. 

Sadolin classic is more for cladding, decking, fences etc. although it can also be used as a base coat topped off with Sadolin Extra.


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## [email protected] (2 Jun 2011)

DeanN":1lt7htu6 said:


> No. Superdec is an opaque finish, whereas Supercoat is a high build translucent finish.
> 
> Sadolin classic is more for cladding, decking, fences etc. although it can also be used as a base coat topped off with Sadolin Extra.



strewth this is confusing :roll: 

heres supercoat 

http://www.sadolin.co.uk/professional/p ... /index.php

seems both supercoat and classic and extra are all translucent. Is supercoat more translucent? more pigmented? If more pigmented, that would be better - whats the difference between the two exactly.

What I need now is to finish bare softwood to a mid to deep mahogany colour which with translucent varnishes seems only possible with multiple coats and even then you dont know how effective until all the coats are on (3 days late!)

was thinking about Dulax weathershield until I read the user reviews :wink:


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## DeanN (2 Jun 2011)

The Supercoat is more pigmented - its designed to need fewer coats to build up/maintain the colour. Best bet is to go back to your Crown Decorating Centre, ask them nicely to give a can a shake in their mixer, pop the lid and dab a bit on some timber. Just don't expect them to do this first thing in a morning, around lunchtime, or late evening.


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## [email protected] (2 Jun 2011)

DeanN":38k0wrjr said:


> The Supercoat is more pigmented - its designed to need fewer coats to build up/maintain the colour. Best bet is to go back to your Crown Decorating Centre, ask them nicely to give a can a shake in their mixer, pop the lid and dab a bit on some timber. Just don't expect them to do this first thing in a morning, around lunchtime, or late evening.



lol, do you what, I had the guy popping lids all over the place for me  Strangely he didnt mention supercoat though. he even said buy a tin, open it carefully use a couple of brush fulls and if its no good replace lid and return for refund - are they always so customer focused??!! 

I've been reading that supercoat on bare wood would still benefit from the classic being used as a primer becuase its thinner and soaks into the grain. Looks like it could be supercoat then - thanks Dean...


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## DeanN (2 Jun 2011)

Keep on their good side - they can be very accommodating. Where's your local branch ?


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## [email protected] (2 Jun 2011)

Fishponds, Bristol


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