Treating oak outdoors

You do not have to treat an oak veranda. Left alone, oak turns silver grey within a few years and stays strong. If you want to keep the warm timber colour, oil it. Oil works like wax on a car or sun cream on your skin: it keeps dirt and water out and the timber stays more stable, with fewer checks in very hot or wet weather.

When to oil

• After assembly, on dry timber in dry weather.
• Then whenever it looks dull and dry, usually once a year.
• End grain and the tops of beams first, where water sits.

Tannins and staining

Oak contains tannins. At first, rain can wash them out and stain paving or concrete below. Always use stainless screws: ordinary steel turns oak black.

Surface checks

Solid oak moves as it dries. Splits along the grain are normal and do not weaken the beam. Oil reduces them but will not stop them altogether.

Douglas fir needs more care, see treating Douglas fir. On lifespan, see maintenance and durability.

Get a price

The calculator gives you an instant price for our standard models. Treat those models as a starting point: every project is made to the customer's own specification, in any size you want. Need a size or layout the calculator does not offer? Send us your sketch through the contact page or on WhatsApp.

Frequently asked questions