Best Finish for Douglas Fir Timber Frame Home

[FrankK]

We are building a timber frame home with Douglas Fir lumber. We would like to preserve the natural pinkish color as much as possible. As a woodworker, I have always used Tung Oil or Linseed Oil on various projects and woods, and it comes out as a beautiful finish. I have no experience with Douglas Fir. My wife doesn't trust my judgement on any so important as her new home. She wants second expert opinions.

Polyurethane seems to darken with age and I'm hesitant to use that. I don't want to ruin the natural color with any stain.

As there are hundreds of pieces, we thought it would be easier to coat them as they are assembled. Except for the ceiling trusses which would be easier to paint on the ground, but there is not an overwhelming number of those. Thanks!

 

[Reference Handiwork]

Wow! Where is this home!? I love Doug Fir! But I hate to say that the mantra I've adopted is "all wood darkens with age." Our last home was in Oregon, a 1913 bungalow, and the floors (along with just about everything else) were Doug Fir. Everything had darkened to a nice rich honey color. I don't think you'd want to use poly.

Have you looked into Penofin Verde? It's one of my favorite oil finishes and looks great on fir. Worth looking at

 

[FrankK]

Haven't heard of that, but I'll look into it.

Our home is in WNC, about an hour north of Asheville. We love this area!

 

[Jim Wallace]

BeesBlock Oil

Heritage Natural Finishes are the highest quality, all natural, non toxic, penetrating oil finishes for wood, earthen floors and more! Visit us at www.heritagenaturalfinishes.com for more information or to place an order. Thanks!

www.heritagenaturalfinishes.com

I have been using their Bees Block Oil to finish bowls that I turn green. I really love this finish. They make several products specifically for timber frame construction.

 

[dancam]

I built a timber-frame home here in Asheville in 2004-5, and we used Penofin interior oil, and the pine timbers have aged with a beautiful honey tone.

 

[Jim Wallace]

As I recall, Dave Ellsworth used Penofin oil for his earliest turnings. (This was 40 years ago.)

 

[Rwe2156]

I've had good luck with a 1:1:1 mixture of BLO, Naptha and Urethane. Pretty bombproof, satin poly will give a slight luster to the wood.

 

[bphaynes]

I have been researching outdoor finishes for my new front door made out of Sapele. It's a very opinionated subject and there's no right answer. Seems to be oil vs film finish like spar varnish. But either way it will darken some, tung oil has a natural tint. I'm going to try Total Boat Gleam marine spar varnish, which has tung oil so there is a dark tint to it, but it's not a stain. I've also heard good things about Sikkens, although it is a stain I think they have more natural options.

 

[Oka]

No right answer My parents lived in Northern Ca on a Timber Ranch. Most of it was Doug fir or pseudotsuga menziesii as my dad used to call it.

We used Borate solution as a bug inhibitor (basically spray it on let dry a day. Then we used linseed oil mixed with mineral spirits (2/3-1/2 linseed to mineral spirit mix). Used a Hudson sprayer to apply
Main issue with Fir is when it sun drys it will open the grain so, you would need to do this every 3-5 years depending on your weather. Nice thing about Fir is it usually wont crack on the mechanical connection like other woods (nail , bolt , screw connections).
One thing about this treatment, is you can paint or stain over it.

 

[tvrgeek]

Only finish I know of that keeps the light color is water based poly. Everything else darkens with age.
Borate is not only a bug killer, it is a fire retardant.
Maybe a semi-transparent deck stain? I might on the outside, but not inside which is what I think you are looking at doing. I would be hesitant on the oils as that is a lot of out-gassing over time.

Really pretty!

 

[Dee2]

When we built the Lindal Cedar home during our previous life in SC, we used a stain called WeatherMaster inside and out. The interior post and beam structure never needed a refinish and we lived there for 15 years before moving to NC. The initial exterior cedar siding stain lasted about 3 years and then I started washing (oxygen bleach, no pressure washing) every spring and (re)staining with SW products. Issue was always mildew and UV degradation. Last couple of times I restained the exterior I used a solid color stain which seemed to last better.

OBTW, carpenter bees loved the exterior exposed beams.

I miss that house and refuse to drive past it, LOL!

 

[jfynyson]

The wife wanted to keep the original color of the wood. As others have said, it will darken even with UV protection. Even with these posts being indoors with some getting direct sunlight (will darken more) and other will indirect (will darken but less). The only option is a water based finish with UV protection and that really limits you to a couple good quality choices. Each day that goes by that wood is oxidizing and getting UV damage/discoloring and soon you're pink original color will be gone. Also as it rains on the wood you'll have water marks so best to start now and finish each piece as you go. Our log home had main beams of Douglas Firm and I hated seeing those water marks from rain during construction.

Try:
TotalBoat Halcyon Water-Based Clear Marine Varnish, General Finishes Exterior 450, I think Behr and maybe some others now make them (visit a Sherwin Williams or similar store to ask).

My $0.02

 

[Rwe2156]

My $0.02 -- maybe somebody needs to worry about something way more important?

Sometimes I put my foot down...............when saying "yes, ma'am".

 

[jfynyson]