5 Tips To Waterproofing Wood in Denver Metro, CO
When you are working with wood, you sometimes need to make sure that the wood is waterproof before you do anything with it as if you don’t, it can be vulnerable to damage and long term rot — which you want to avoid.
Of course, even the best waterproofing will not be permanent, but at the very least you will protect the wood for a good period of time when you waterproof it.
With this being the case, here are five tips to waterproofing wood in Denver Metro, CO
1. Check If It Has Been Waterproofed Already
Before you take the time to waterproof the wood with which you are going to be working, it is worth finding out if there is any waterproofing protection on the wood itself.
This is not to say that if you discover that the wood already has some waterproofing that you cannot add to it — for there are different degrees of waterproofing and it’s not easy to see how long ago it was done.
With that being true, if you want to see if there is any you need but drop a few drops of water to the surface of the wood and see the reaction that the water has.
If the water beads up at all and can roll off of the wood, you’ll know that there is some waterproofing involved.
If however the water is absorbed into the wood surface, you will know that there was no waterproofing involved and that you will certainly have to take action.
2. Choosing A Waterproofing Technique
The next thing you’re going to want to do after ascertaining if there is any waterproofing is to decide what technique you’re going to want to use in waterproofing the wooden surface.
There are waterproofing oils that you can use, epoxy resin, varnish, and a number of non-toxic formulas that serve the purpose of waterproofing the surface of the wood.
The question of which technique you will want to use largely depends on the kind of wood you have and some of the side goals that you wish to accomplish through waterproofing — it’s worth looking into each technique to see how it will benefit you and then to make a determination as to which will be best.
3. Mixing Your Own Oil
In addition to being able to purchase oil that is good for waterproofing your wooden surface, you can actually mix your own oil, something that will possibly make for a nicer oil blend.
This is because you will be in full control of what goes into the oil and how much, and so you will have a certain scale of quality control that you might not have if you purchase it pre-mixed.
The basic measurements for mixing your oil is one part linseed oil, one part tung oil, one part mineral spirit and one part liquid polyurethane — together you will have your own oil.
Adding more linseed oil or tung oil will darken the oil itself, which means that if you want your finish to be darker, you can do so.
4. Going In The Same Direction
In the process of applying the waterproofing solution to your wooden surface, you’re going to want to make sure that you apply the solution in the same direction consistently.
If you mix the directions in which you apply the solution, you will find that the color will not be fully consistent, and that is not something that is particularly pleasant thing in terms of wood aesthetics.
Better to always move in the same direction – just remember what direction you’re moving in and you should be okay.
5. Multiple Coats Are Okay
Once you have applied a coat of the waterproofing solution, you can allow it to dry and then once it fully dries, you can then apply a second coat to it and further.
Multiple coats of waterproofing are okay and will lend to a darker color of the stain.
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