Oil for exterior Oak

[Colt]

Good morning all,

I’m currently making an oak bench swing outside. Following a neighbour/builder’s advice, I treated the frame with osmo uv oil. I’m now finishing the bench part but have read on here that oak can be a nightmare to treat outside and osmo oil in particular doesn’t do well with horizontal surfaces. However, I’d quite like it to match the oiled frame. Any recommendations or should I cut my losses and leave it untreated?

Cheers

Colt

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The consensus will be to leave it untreated. Nothing seems to last well on horizontal surfaces.

 

[RichardKeen1975]

Good morning all,

I’m currently making an oak bench swing outside. Following a neighbour/builder’s advice, I treated the frame with osmo uv oil. I’m now finishing the bench part but have read on here that oak can be a nightmare to treat outside and osmo oil in particular doesn’t do well with horizontal surfaces. However, I’d quite like it to match the oiled frame. Any recommendations or should I cut my losses and leave it untreated?

Cheers

Colt

Good morning Colt,

Osmo's UV Protection Oils are not really suited to horizontal areas where water can sit for long periods of time as this will slowly erode away the filters in the product, (according to the tin it is only suited to surfaces with a 15 degree or more run off) Going with colour is best for these areas, and will give a longer lasting finish.

Hope this helps.

 

[Fitzroy]

A lot will depend on how often you are prepared to refinish the item. I used osmo on a garden table, it looked ace for the first two seasons, shabby after three and i decided then to just leave it to weather naturally, after 5 seasons the legs were starting to look tired, after 10 the underside of the top still looks great. If I'd wanted it to look sharp all the time then i'd need to sand and refinish the top every 2 years and the rest of it every 4-5.

 

[Blister]

I tried boiled linseed oil on oak boat gunwales , They gradually turned back.

 

[Colt]

Very useful information, thank you. I suppose I’d only have the seat itself to refinish as the other surfaces are all vertical so wouldn’t be as much of a job. Reckon osmo oil would be preferable to linseed/tung oil?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Oiling exterior oak is basically a waste of time unless you're willing to put in the time required for regular seasonal maintenance. In my experience 99% of people don't do the maintenance even if they swear blind they will. Read this thread. Slainte.

 

[Jameshow]

Just a thought how about a couple of toe backs which hold the swing back against the rear legs so the water will drain... Just a couple of bunnies or some chain and carabiners?

 

[Colt]

So I assembled the bench and it looked daft unfinished against the oiled frame so I decided to oil the bench to match. However I set the seat part of the bench at an angle for drainage (which also stops it tipping forwards when you sit down) and used removable brackets so I can stick it in the summerhouse over the winter to protect it from the worst of the elements.

The Mrs is very happy with the result - thank you all for the advice.