exterior hardwood maintenance

CazzieT

We have hardwood windows and doors and it used to be easy to maintain, using a lightly coloured satin/matt varnish which showed the natural grain of the wood. Now, though, our woodwork has been ruined because it seems to be impossible to buy this sort of varnish any more. Instead, all the Ronseal/Sadolin type stuff is more like brown paint, coating the wood and, worse, peeling off like paint when it deteriorates. The only way I can improve it is to sand down to bare wood and start again which is a pretty big job if it is done on every window. Any advice as to the quickest way to do this and whether the 'old' type of varnishes are still available for exterior hardwood?

cyclonebri1

You need Sikkens Filter 7

Loads of colours, not cheap, looks good for years.

What more do you want.

Norma_Desmond

We use marine varnish - for boats!

leveller2911

Another vote for Sikkens Cetol filter 7..........You can also use 2 coats of Sikkens HLS with a top coat of Filter 7.

You can get various tints (ie mahogony,walnut,cedar etc) but the good thing is they are just tints so the original grain will show through and it won't peel.

Lastly if you leave any patches of the original colour and then use Filter 7 over the top you will still be able to see the original colour and not look good.

Myser

CazzieT wrote: »

... it seems to be impossible to buy this sort of varnish any more. Instead, all the Ronseal/Sadolin type stuff is more like brown paint, coating the wood and, worse, peeling off like paint when it deteriorates.

I wonder if this is due to the new requirement to remove VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from such products?

cyclonebri1

Myser wrote: »

I wonder if this is due to the new requirement to remove VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) from such products?

Yep, they seem to be dumbing down every effective paint or chemical product that is accessible to the general public.

CazzieT

Thanks to all for the helpful replies!