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Staining outdoor studio black?

6 years ago

There have been recent discussions on staining wood black in the garden, and it's hit a cord. We cladded our summer house in larch this time last year, and it doesn't seem to have faded an inch. I really don't like the dominating yellowish colour. Should we take the plunge and stain it, or use some sort of accelerant to achieve a silvery colour quicker? Thank you!

Featured Answer

ruthfrench

6 years ago

Be patient. Naturally silvered larch is unbeatable and costs nothing but does happen slowly. It is worth waiting for.

Comments (20)

rachelmidlands
6 years ago
Hi there, just been having a google and there really doesn't seem to be a product that speeds up the aging process. There is online however a few homemade solutions:
1. Vinegar left to soak for a couple of days with steel wool and a used tea bag, something about the oxidization that reacts with the wood.
2. Bleach mixed with water, might be the chlorine type of bleach?
3. Baking soda mixed with water.
4. Ferrous sulphate or iron sulphate, think you can get it for treating moss on lawns.

No idea if any of these would work, so I would test in an inconspicuous area first. Other than that, I would stain it. In all cases add a weather protecting finish on top.
redkez78 thanked rachelmidlands
PRO
Special Gardens
6 years ago
Hello Redkez, I think it could take 5 or 6 years for the cladding to change colour during the aging process, so being able to speed it up would help. As Rachel says, if you try any of these methods, do a test area.

If you do decide to stain or paint it, you would need to ensure the product is suitable as some may interfere with the natural properties of the wood. It will be an expense and once you have done it, you may need to keep doing it every few years to keep it looking good.

A difficult choice...it would look great in a dark grey, it would be much less dominant, help it to recede and would be an immediate fix, but it would also look lovely in a natural faded silver colour.

I think I'd try some of the suggestions above first and then make your decision. But I would strongly advise you to speak to timber and cladding specialists and get their advice before doing anything.... Good luck
redkez78 thanked Special Gardens
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User
6 years ago
This stuff is made from salt, essentially and is fairly inexpensive. In your situation I'd be wary of algae from the trees - wash with a specific treatment every two years or so. I'd be concerned about the different weather exposures of the front and back of those boards leading to warping/cracking. Any treatment will help. Perhaps the building doesn't get much sun, but where it does, the wood will shrink and expand much more, naturally. Osmo make a good exterior product which will maintain the basic natural wood colour and provide better weather resistance over the years. It will darken/patina over time. Methinks you prefer the grey look, so I'd go for the Lifetime if I was you. Good luck! http://www.valhalco.com/index.php
redkez78 thanked User
jenniimatthews
6 years ago
Why not paint it grey....black may be too overpowering for a large building like yours.....good luck
PRO
Timber Decking and Cladding Association
6 years ago
With a coating you need to factor in the maintenance of the coating in line with the manufacturers recommendations but at least you get a fresh new look each time. The are different options from translucent to solid colour stains. Owatrol UK has a good range and offers next day delivery for orders placed before 3pm. It's a fine summer house by the way and the cladding does look wonderful.
redkez78 thanked Timber Decking and Cladding Association
PRO
Burchdaume
6 years ago
Redkez the product you need is called SiOO:X, Russwoods supply it. It was originally conceived to achieve consistency in weathering for large projects. Seems like you have some shade there...? Our last boathouse clad in larch began to weather after only a few months...if you do want the natural look just wait, otherwise if you want the silvered look SiOO:X is the product for you. BW Alex
redkez78 thanked Burchdaume
PRO
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Hi,

I'm not suggesting this as a treatment as the cladding is already in place but I thought I would throw it in the mix as its a fascinating process.

The Japanese have been using burnt wood technique for hundreds of years.

Shop Sugi Ban

"Burning cedar or some other wood gives it a charcoal barrier that is rot and fire resistant ... and very distinctive looking,"

www.angel-martin.com

www.3dinteriorillustration.co.uk
redkez78 thanked User
alyper
6 years ago
Patience! It's beautiful!
redkez78 thanked alyper
Maddy
6 years ago
You can also use some lovely outdoor wood paint in a dark deep charcoal, would look very stylish on your studio
wendy Anderson
6 years ago
I too would wait - I totally get your frustration, but once it does weather, it will look even more beautiful. It has lovely proportions , now you just need to wood tones to match your vision!
Lee
6 years ago
I painted mine black as well as all my fencing. Surrounded by bamboo, Jasmine, grasses etc it looks amazing, the planting really stand outs.
iolosdad
6 years ago
Check out Osmo environmentally friendly wood colours it's quick and very easy to apply, made by a company who are passionate about wood and our planet we've been using it them for 22 years and the beauty of the the wood grain remains true
redkez78 thanked iolosdad
PRO
Caroline Crawford Garden Design
6 years ago
Your building looks lovely! If you can bare it, I'd wait for another winter of weathering. The problem with treating it with a colour is that there's no going back.
PRO
Alexandra Froggatt Design
6 years ago
Awesome garden room, stain it black!! It will look like charred timber. Stunning and contemporary
Chris Goodchild
6 years ago
With beautiful Larch like that, I would let it age naturally.

Regarding the Japanese charred wood as mentioned by Angel Martin Interiors, it really needs to be an inch thick to start with as the charring will probably warp thinner timber such as standard tongue and groove. Here is a useful link for anyone interested in this technique; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5aZx8JUr-0g .

As you will see in the video the charring needs to be done in advance of fitting, reading the comment by Austin Liu will tell you the whys and wherefores of the technique, one name for which is Yaki suge.

I use it for table tops and other furniture but prefer to brush off a lot of the char to reveal the grain, then seal with a floor quality clear water based varnish,usually 4-5 coats, sanding in between.
Sven
6 years ago
It would look very smart black: go for it.
Julie Straughan
6 years ago
I've just come back from Denmark and ALL of the wooden summerhouses are stained black. Looks fab
triciapetriclark
6 years ago
Hi redkez78. If you like the natural silvered grey look it's really worth the wait. See our shed - just built in first photo and 2 years later in the other images (under veranda you can still see the difference as it's sheltered so will take longer). Friends speeded this up on their house by washing wood down with a large broom and a weak solution of water and bleach which worked well (see Art House B&B, Isle of Skye www.arthouse-skye.co.uk). Maybe good to test on a spare piece of wood first. Advantages - no maintenance at all and it looks beautiful! Alternatively you could use a water based pale grey exterior wood paint well watered down to create a 'wash' effect so you can still see the wood grain and you don't need to paint so neatly. Paint with a large brush then wipe excess off. Again, test on spare pieces of wood to get the effect you like, experimenting with percentage of water to paint. Personally, I'd go for the natural silvered look but that's just my taste! Good luck! Tricia from www.CoastWoodCotton.etsy.com
redkez78 thanked triciapetriclark
Julie C
6 years ago
Wow Tricia what a stunning place you have

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