How to preserve wood?

Undoubtedly, wood is a fine construction material holding high aesthetic values. Its properties and appearance make it a very common material used both indoors and outdoors. However, wooden fences, garden furniture or summer house constructions are exposed to influence of weather conditions, fungi or insects. In order to preserve its values, it’s vital to protect it suitably.

Preservation is an efficient method of wood protection against moisture, UV radiation and pests. Its role can be compared to wall priming before painting – the preservative penetrates the wood deeply and protects it from outside and inside as well as prevents from development of fungi, blue stain and insects.

A simple method, allowing to ensure a permanent protection and emphasizing its aesthetic values, can be preservation by taking advantage of painting method. It can be carried out independently, bearing in mind the suitable surface preparation and following the beneath stages:

Stage 1 – surface preparation

The surface to be preserved should be dry and free from any contaminations. If there are stains or grease on the surface, it’s necessary to get rid of them by using extraction naphtha and dry it out. Wooden surface should be also smooth – it facilitates the preservative application and emphasizes the texture of wood grains. It’s recommended to use sandpaper between 150 and 200 grit, however, the sand paper grit must be adjusted depending on roughness degree of the surface. A good solution is to sand the whole element which is to be preserved, which allows to obtain a uniform wood colour. It’s important to remember to remove the dust carefully, which is left after sanding – use a brush and next a half-wet cloth.

Stage 2 – first coat application

We commence to carry out the preservation operation upon the aforementioned surface. To preserve wood we can take advantage of VIDARON Protective and Decorative Preservative with an additive of Teflon® surface protector. It protects the wood from inside and outside, and simultaneously ensures to wooden elements an elegant matt finishing and emphasizes the wood grains. It’s recommended to apply colourless VIDARON Protective and Decorative Preservative for wooden elements which are exposed to direct influence of weather conditions.

The colourless preservative without pigments penetrates the wood deeply and provides full protection against biological hazards – fungi, insects, mould, blue stain.

Before commencing application, the product must be stirred carefully in the original container. The recommended air temperature during application is from 5°to 25° C. By taking advantage of painting method, it’s advised to use a paintbrush for solvent-based products. If we use a universal paintbrush, it’s a good solution to sand its hair by using a fine sandpaper. It allows us to soften the paintbrush’s end and remove loose hair. The preservative is applied by a paintbrush on a large surface of wood, within time limit not exceeding 10 minutes. If the substrate starts to matt, the preservative is applied by half-dry paintbrush along the wood grains, beginning from the spots where the paint was applied first. It ensures a uniform wood colour. The elements painted this way must be left for 12 hours to dry out.

Stage 3 – interlayer sanding

When the first coat of the preservative is dry, it’s necessary to carry out so called interlayer sanding. Some wood fibres, after the first sanding might be lifted and create a porous surface. By sanding the coat it becomes even, which enhances adherence properties of subsequent coats. Interlayer sanding is performed by using sandpaper of 320 grit. After sanding the surface must be dedusted (by a vacuum cleaner).

Stage 4 – second coat application

The second coat of the preservative is applied uniformly upon the whole surface of the wood, by using a half-dry paintbrush. Since the wood absorbs the next coat more slowly, the stage of preservative distribution should be commenced a little bit later. Too premature application may lead to discoloration. Drying period of the second coat amount to approximately 12 hours.

After completing the application, all the tools must be cleaned and dried. We can use a solvent for oil-based products. The preservation performed this way allows to emphasise the natural appearance and wood texture, and simultaneously protects it efficiently.