Treating Douglas fir outdoors

The best treatment for a Douglas fir veranda is oil, soon after assembly and then about once a year. Douglas fir is a softwood with durability class 3 to 4, less durable than oak. Oil keeps water out, the timber stays more stable and keeps its warm colour for longer.

What to look out for

• End grain and the tops of beams first.
• No ground contact: posts sit on a pad, about 15 cm above ground.
• Resin: Douglas fir can bleed resin. Let drops harden, scrape them off, then oil.
• Fixings: Douglas fir is slightly acidic, so use stainless screws.

Oil or stain

Oil soaks in and is easy to touch up. A stain forms a film that can peel after a few years. For a veranda we recommend oil.

Black Douglas fir

On the modern black veranda the Douglas fir is black coated. Check every year that the coating is intact, especially on end grain.

For oak, see treating oak outdoors. Choosing a timber: oak or Douglas fir.

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Frequently asked questions