Hardwood Window Cill

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emlclcy

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basingstoke
What would you recommend to protect a new hardwood window cill before its installed?
a varnish not paint
thanks
carl
 
Make sure it’s an opaque finish like Sikkens Cetol HLS basecoat and Sikkens Filter 7 Plus topcoat and not a typical exterior varnish as the weather and sunlight will destroy it in no time at all.
 
Good advice. I've always used Sadolin products just because that is what the local merchants stocked 25 years ago when I moved in. Sikkens should be just as good or better. Someone on here published their own comparison trial and if I recall both did very well.

Main thing, use a decent brand. My neighbour uses the cheapest he can buy on his window frames and seems to have to redo them about twice as often as me: I don't like ladders that much.

The drawback of a traditional varnish, which can look great on day 1, is that in years to come you might have to strip it back and start again. A modern high build woodstain type can just be re coated every year or five.
 
I'll second the recommendation for Sikkens Cetol HLS basecoat and Sikkens Filter 7 Plus topcoat . I used to use Sadolin but changed over to Sikkens a good few years ago and have found it to be far longer lasting on hardwood window frames and doors in our cold wet Welsh weather.

Martin.
 
i bought one of each (1ltr) cost me £70! which no dough means i will have to go around the house and do all the woodwork!

on a similar note, what silicon would you use to seal a new upvc window to a brick opening? there are just so many in the screwfix catalogue
 
If it is oak then nothing, it will age lovely.
Sorry, I know this is an old thread. Is there not a risk of it taking on water and swelling? I ask because I’ve got a couple of oak windows to make and was wondering how to finish. I like the idea of nothing as they will be sat in an unfinished oak clad porch. How long would they expect to last unprotected?

Thanks
Col
 
I ask because I’ve got a couple of oak windows to make and was wondering how to finish. I like the idea of nothing as they will be sat in an unfinished oak clad porch. How long would they expect to last unprotected?

It entirely depends on the species of oak you will be using, some is not suitable for external use as it takes on and retains water due to the open pore structure.

Generally, oak is best left unfinished externally unless you paint it or stain it very dark as it is very quick to bleach from the sun which makes it difficult to keep "clear" finishes in a reasonable condition.
 
Thanks. It will be air dried European oak on a north facing wall. I’m more that happy to leave it unfinished and I do like the way it weathers so it’s a bonus if I can leave it like that.
 
The Oak joinery I make I don't offer to apply any finishes, but I do offer a lifetime guarantee, mine, good job I'm getting old...
 
Both me and Jacob have observed how oak cills don't always perform as well as softwood on old sash windows. I reckon it's because they don't absorb paint as well. They also weather to an exceptionally rough finish(being ring porous). If it was me I'd coat the windowsill with thin epoxy before coating with the darkest woodstain I could stand(within the epoxy curing period but after the off gas of solvents) smiths cpes is suitable here.
 
Just jumping on the thread here. I'm building a porch with an overhang at the front supported by 200 x 200 PAR oak posts. I was just going to oil them with either Chestnut finishing oil or lemon oil so it would give it some protection but easy to maintain. Am I barking up the wrong tree here?
 

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