Balcony Handrail Maintenance

[markyp23]

Hi all,

My balcony has not seen a lick of paint in (presumably) 8 years since the place was built. It's looking a bit worse for wear and I'd like to bring it back to life.

So - where to begin? I know nothing about this - I understand its a hardwood? Mahogany?

I've got a random orbit sander that I'm going to use to sand it right back to bare wood, then not sure what products to use...elsewhere been recommended Sikkens Cetol or something? Any thoughts on what kind of colour that is?

Excuse my uselessness!

Cheers!

 

[JohnD]

your orbital sander is for flat surfaces. That is not a flat surface. Sand it by hand.

It looks like a nice tropical hardwood. I would go for a translucent breathing stain in a pale colour to let the timber and its grain show through.

I looks to be in quite fair condition, but I always like to give outdoor joinery a few coats of Cuprinol Clear wood preserver after sanding and before staining.

If the colour is patchy you can even it up, after sanding and cuprinol, with Colron or other wood dye.

You actually get a better finish with dye and a pale stain than using a dark mahogany stain finish, as it wil obscure the grain and the colour will be patchy varying with the thickness of the coloured stain and the patchiness of the timber. Outdoor joinery like that really needs a light sanding and recoat every three years. The stain might last five with luck but if it breaks down you will have to sand off and re-treat as the timber underneath will be damaged and discoloured by water and sun.