Treating exterior oak

[Nautilus21]

I’m building an outdoor babebecue area and want to use a couple of big pieces of character oak as ‘worktops’ not ideal as not flat - but knotty, natural edged and aesthetically pleasing!

so a few questions for you knowledge gurus...

what’s the best way to stop them weathering - I’m guessing osmo UV oil (I’ve used this on an oak wall and oak sleepers.... but seem to think I read on here it’s not ideal for horizontal surfaces?)

if I wanted to fill some of the bigger cracks with resin is this likely to pop/crack with contraction /expansion of wood or is it a case of go for it and worry aboit it when it happens

there’s likely to be some water get onto it as it covered but not enclosed.... should I run a fall off on the worktop back to front to drain

I also want to put some studs or rods into it for putting hot pans on - would copper work without rotting / discoloring wood or does it need to be stainless? Any other options for metals to
Thanks

 

[yetloh]

With a very open grained wood like oak you are really wasting your time finishing it because it won't last. Maybe if you do it often enough but as it breaks down it will look much worse than if you had left it to go that lovely natural silvery colour. If you really want to try, someone on here did long term (years) comparative tests in an exposed position and Sikkens Cetol was easily the best - expensive but you do get what you pay for.

 

[AJB Temple]

I use oak a lot. Most of my buildings are made out of it and clad in it. I use offcuts to make thick chopping boards etc for my outdoor kitchen.

Do not apply a finish. You will regret it. During the year you get heat, frost, hot sun and soaking wet rain. The wood will move. It is very durable though. The finish will look terrible inside a year and it will become a trial renewing it. A jetwash every year is what I do.

 

[Nautilus21]

So re oiling every year with OSMO wouldn’t keep finish?

Bonus question - how can you make/encourage oak go silver rather than just black

 

[yetloh]

Osmo? Unlikely.

It won't go black, it will go silver grey on its own - you just have to wait, should get there in a year or so.

 

[Woody2Shoes]

So re oiling every year with OSMO wouldn’t keep finish?

Bonus question - how can you make/encourage oak go silver rather than just black

Keep iron tools away from it (largely impractical) or leave it a bit longer in the weather (I suppose a pressure washer might help too, but it hardly seems worth the effort).

 

[johnnyb]

my experience has also been dont bother with anything. but I said this on a Facebook joinery forum and they were a bit uppity...."the customer wants a natural look..etc" use this oil and that oil.
I guess that they just want to please there customers short term. I reckon any clear finish outside it pants. and I mean even the dark sadolin.. sikkens stuff. the clearer the more pants. at a certain point it becomes just brown paint tbh. I think short term (5 or 6 years) they are fine but then overcoat with a pigmented woodstain.

 

[johnnyb]

I also like le tonkinois and epifanes yacht varnish. but they are short short term.

 

[johnnyb]

2 1/2 years of le tonkinois

 

[johnnyb]

brighter on the verticals

 

[Nautilus21]

Osmo? Unlikely.

It won't go black, it will go silver grey on its own - you just have to wait, should get there in a year or so.

Would there be an oil which I could do
Annually? Teak oil? Ting oil? Don’t mind a bit of greying and character and also don’t mind a bit of annual
Upkeep! If it does go black will it tien
Silver with time?

 

[Nautilus21]

Osmo? Unlikely.

It won't go black, it will go silver grey on its own - you just have to wait, should get there in a year or so.

Is osmo no good?

 

[Nautilus21]

my experience has also been dont bother with anything. but I said this on a Facebook joinery forum and they were a bit uppity...."the customer wants a natural look..etc" use this oil and that oil.
I guess that they just want to please there customers short term. I reckon any clear finish outside it pants. and I mean even the dark sadolin.. sikkens stuff. the clearer the more pants. at a certain point it becomes just brown paint tbh. I think short term (5 or 6 years) they are fine but then overcoat with a pigmented woodstain.

I’d be happy with something that slowly greys over two or three years!!

 

[Nautilus21]

Or what about a thin coat of resin? Or does that crack as wood expand and contract

 

[Nautilus21]

Can I use copper upholstery pins to have an area where hot things can go temporarily ( I know there will be some heat transfer but should be limited for short time use)

 

[LBCarpentry]

What is exterior oak?

 

[Nautilus21]

What is exterior oak?

Oak going out doors.. sorry bit of a novice... should it be called something else?

 

[AJB Temple]

You appear to want to keep asking the question until you get an answer you like.

Oak exposed to rain and sun goes dull in a year and grey in 2 years. Max.

 

[thetyreman]

I would leave it unfinished and accept and live with it going grey

 

[marcros]

2 1/2 years of le tonkinois

thank you for this, I had wondered how this fared after a couple of years but this is the first time that I have seen a picture.