Staining Wood

[Spitz]

What are people using to stain the wood on their Woodies? What varnish also?
My wood looks "OK" from 10ft…..but really should come off and be sanded/refinished as some of the varnish has worn off and wood is drying a little.

[coop12g295]

I stained my with a light oak and then used Patina wax and just give it a new rub with
another coat over each year

[Tim]

It wasn't stained from the factory, just finished with a clear finish. If you find that it is stained and weathered you might be able to restore the colour by scrubbing the timber with oxalic acid, which is sold as timber cleaner or for re-finishing decking. Its quite good at removing silvering and bringing back the original colour. You'll need to remove the existing finish though.

Clear finishes for exterior timber aren't really very successful, because they lack pigment the UV shoots right through them. Good quality marine varnishes are about the best hope. Classic Boat Magazine have run a long term varnish test. They rated a finish called Coelan as the best performing after 10 1/2 years of weathering.

http://www.coelan.de/DE/eng/products/bootsbeschichtung/

The timber on my Traveller has been stained a dark reddish brown colour. It doesn't look very nice. The timber is a variety of mismatched bits and pieces and is rotten in a couple of spots. I'm contemplating painting it a light colour and temporarily finishing it with a painted wood grain finish, before I eventually replace it.

Tim

[NicholasUpton]

We use Epifanes as used on wood boats. Just be sure to sand between coats, and I like to spray rather then brush for a nice even matt finish.

[minitravellerman]

I don't varnish mine. Several coats of Danish oil at the start and once a year I give the wood a light sand and then apply another 2 or 3 coats. Has kept the wood looking very good. Been on over 15 years now.