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Oak mantelpiece treatment

  • 09-12-2017 6:15pm
    #1
    eyeball kid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭


    Hi all,

    Hope this is the right place to ask but I'm looking for a bit of advice on some oak pieces I want to use for a floating mantelpiece in two rooms (please see attached).

    At the moment they are untreated and have just been cut to size.
    They are still kind of damp.
    They are 4 foot in length, 5 inches in thickness and roughly 6 to 8 inches in depth.

    Whats the best way to dry them and how long roughly should it take?

    Once dry, what's the best way to treat them? Most of the bark is off them. I presume I take the rest of carefully, lightly sand them and then varnish them or is this wrong?

    They are lovely pieces of wood and don't want to ruin them so any advice is gratefully received!

    Thanks..


Comments

  • #2
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,357 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    do you mean damp as in unseasoned, or damp as in they've just been sitting outside?

    there's a difference between drying wood and seasoning it - if it's recently felled, it will take much longer for the moisture content to drop and they'll change shape as they dry.


  • #3
    eyeball kid
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,749 ✭✭✭eyeball kid


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    do you mean damp as in unseasoned, or damp as in they've just been sitting outside?

    there's a difference between drying wood and seasoning it - if it's recently felled, it will take much longer for the moisture content to drop and they'll change shape as they dry.

    Thanks for you response. Was trying to find out if it was seasoned or not and apparently it was, for a few months. The timber merchant who I bought it from said, its good to go.

    Would there be a need to sand it, it quite rough in places. Also, I guess I should varnish it, what would be suitable for oak?

    thanks..


  • #4
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 50,357 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    hmm. 'a few months' is not reassuring sounding. i'd season firewood for a year...


  • #5
    tabby aspreme
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,047 ✭✭✭tabby aspreme


    Those planks look like freshly sawn timber, the black/ purple lines on them are from the wood coming in contact with steel, probably the bandsaw blade . Hardwood usually needs one year per inch thickness to season, oak is particularly difficult to dry in thicknesses above 2" due to the outer part of the plank drying quickly and preventing the moisture in the middle of the plank from getting out, this is known as ' case hardening' , oak will also shrink 10-12% in width from freshly sawn to fully dry.
    You could fit them now but be prepared for shrinkage and some cracks which will give them character. Sand them before you fit them and finish them with linseed or Danish oil


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