How to Restore Greyed and Weathered Timber

First, we should understand what causes timber to weather. When wood is exposed to sunshine, rain, and dew, dark colours tend to fade due to leaching and bleaching, while light colours darken due to oxidation. However, with time, all timber surfaces exposed to rain turn grey. This colour shift only affects the top layers, which primarily consist of cellulose. Long-term exposure to the elements degrades the lignin that holds the wood cells together, and it is washed away along with sugars, starches, and extractives. In conditions that are favourable to fungal species, the resulting grey colouring may be dirty and blotchy.

How do I fix greyed timber?

The science tells us this silvering is merely surface deep, therefore a powerful cleaner will help separate the discolouration from the timber, meaning costly replacement is not necessary. For this job we recommend you use CUTEK^® Restore, which will take all the hard work out of this process. CUTEK^® Restore is designed to be applied undiluted but can be used diluted with water if required. The Technical Data Sheet (TDS) contains more details about spreading rate, dwell times, safety precautions, and more. We recommend you test CUTEK^® Restore on a small test patch to find the best working time for your project. Once applied to the timber, CUTEK^® Restore will do the heavy lifting. After it has been allowed to work for a suitable amount of time, remove it using a high-pressure washer with a fan nozzle (a garden hose is not suitable).

Case Study – Pine Fence

Ben and Tracey bought their first home a few years ago and, like many homeowners, have been working to improve their home over time. Their house came with a standard weathered pine fence. The fence was ten years old, fully exposed to the elements, and had never been cleaned or protected. They had assumed that nothing could be done for their fence and had planned to knock it down and replace it. Instead, they tried CUTEK^® Restore. For their project, they chose to work with a dilution of three-parts water to one-part CUTEK^® Restore. This was allowed to sit and work on the timber for a full 24 hours prior to being pressure-washed off. They were astonished by the results.

How do I protect timber from weathering?

Ben and Tracey didn’t stop at restoring their fence. They knew that without properly protecting their timber, their efforts would eventually be undone by the elements. When their fence was dry, they coated it with CUTEK^® Extreme CD50. They selected double-strength Merbau as their CUTEK® Colourtone, which transformed the soft blonde of the pine into a beautiful deep brown. CUTEK® Extreme CD50 penetrates the timber to protect it from the inside out. Where other coatings envelope the wood, CUTEK® Extreme CD50 deeply diffuses into the timber, minimising moisture absorption and protecting your deck long term. With the added CUTEK® Colourtone, Ben and Tracey have the added element of protecting their timber from harsh UV rays and sun damage.

How can we help with your project?

If you would like to know more about how CUTEK^®products could help your project, you can reach us on 1300 1 CUTEK, or by using our customer enquiry form.