Have you got a new house? On top of it all you have just spent around R150 000 to get wooden doors and windows.
The best of the whole matter is that the doors and windows came with no oil or varnish. Which treatment do you use to best suit our needs here in South Africa.
By not treating your doors and windows it can lead to a serious case of damage:
- Cracking
- Splitting
- Warping
- Swelling
- Wood rot
So then why are doors supplied untreated?
We propose this question to a few of the leading door Manufactures.
Here is an example of a door that we needed to repair this past week:
This door was not treated on all six sides of the door and caused damage to door. Water was able to seek in to the door and cause it to slowly rot away, becoming brittle and hence causing the stile of the door to fall out and now a security risk.
If from the beginning the door was treated and regularly maintained, there would still be no reason to replace the door.
I personally do believe Oil is the way to go, firstly
- It penetrates the wood
- Prevents swelling
- Prevent cracking
A great story that I enjoy telling every one of my clients:
Why do women and so many others always talk about wearing moisturising cream on our face? Why do they not just walk around with a piece of glass in front of their faces? Well that does sound absurd. What use is a piece of glass in front of your face, were as a moisturiser absorbs into your skin treats it and has a full benefit for your skin, just like oil has for your doors and windows.
A Response from Van Acht Wooden Windows:
ReplyDeleteTreatment is of utmost importance to keep wood protected and aesthetically beautiful, especially in South Africa where harsh conditions prevail. Neglecting to treat or incorrect treatment of a wooden product will result in and assist with rapid deterioration. Prior to installation, doors should be stored flat on a level surface in a dry ventilated area. Van Acht does not recommend varnish for any exterior wooden products. Varnish does not penetrate the timber but only forms a surface layer, prolonged exposure to sun causes resin in varnish to harden and crack, allowing moisture to penetrate into the timber causing decay, discoloration and ultimately wood rot. If doors are prepared for painting a universal sealer should be applied to all six sides prior to painting the door. Painted timber swells and shrinks as seasons change. This might lead to cracking of paint and exposing of unpainted areas. If a Van Acht doors is not sealed properly on all six sides immediately after delivery and before installation, this will affect the warranty.
We Recommend V-COAT
V-coat is a penetrating oil specially formulated to protect wood from rain, sun and UV damage. V-Coat can be used on any exterior wooden product.