Sanding my wooden house

[Claddixq]

Hi all,

Glad to be here. I'd be grateful for any input.


Our house is located on the West coast of Scotland. It is built from douglas pine which has been varnished. However, the original timber was actually damp when installed with a resulting grey finish underneath the varnish coating. This has got progressively worse over the years since there is a high rainfall in this region.

The varnish needs to be removed along with the grey discolouration with it. This needs to be re-varnished in order to create the correct finish. We then propose to coat the sanded areas with one coat of dilute varnish and thinners (20% thinners - 80% varnish) to then be covered by 100% varnish.

What do folks think? Does that sound about right?

Secondly, we having some problems finding a sander that will do the job without conking out or braking with pressure. Can anybody suggest an orbital sander that will manage an average-sized house with a LOT of pine?

The convex wooden boards are around 14 cm in depth.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Jonathan

 

[bernardgreen]

Sometimes the best option is to allow the bare timber to weather to form a natural protective later. Depending on the type of timber this can provide many years of low maintainance protection.

If it has to be treated do NOT use varnish other than a good quality marine varnish.

The best option is a timber treatment like Sadolin that soaks into the timber and does not need to be removed when a new coating is required 5 or more years later. Just paint the next coat onto the surface

http://www.sadolin.co.uk/products/sadolin-classic-wood-protection/

That is based on the experience of using Sadolin on our timber framed house.

There are other similar timber treatments

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Sometimes the best option is to allow the bare timber to weather to form a natural protective later.

I would have thought Douglas Fir was an ideal candidate for that.

Too late now.

If it has to be treated do NOT use varnish other than a good quality marine varnish.

IMO you should have stopped after the 10th word there.

Varnish will never be successful - the wood is resiny, and no longer fresh - there's zero chance that a film coating will be 100% sealed, and if it's not then the wind and rain, coupled with the wood expanding and contracting with temperature will guarantee that the varnish will fail.

As you say - some kind of penetrating treatment is what's required.

Claddixq - it might be worth asking on some US DIY sites - they have a lot more experience of treating Douglas Fir siding over there.

 

[Claddixq]

Thanks for the advice both of you. I'll have a look at the American forums.

Any good ones off the top of your head?

 

[bernardgreen]

also contact TRADA in the UK ( Timber Research and Development Association )

I have always found them to be very helpful

TRADA
Stocking Lane
Hughenden Valley
High Wycombe
HP14 4ND
UK

t: +44 (0)1494 569600
e: [email protected]

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