New oak windows - oil, varnish, paint or nothing?

[Cloudscape]

I'm having quite a few windows replaced in oak. Three of the windows are made of well-seasoned oak. The rest of newer oak. My original intention was to paint them externally with linseed oil, and eventually possibly white linseed paint. The reason for the paint would be because the old windows are white, and I'm looking into whether I need to retain the look.

The guy making the windows has said various things, including:

"Linseed oil will make them go black."
"You're not going to paint them!?"
"Most people use varnish every year."

I've read around the forum for advice and I'm getting confused. I don't object at all to the look of old silvered oak. But since I am giving away the bulk of my bank account for the windows, I want them to be happy... and last.

Should I be using linseed oil? I've opted for "boiled" on the reclaimed oak front door. Is "boiled" the right one to use? Does it cause blackening or mould growth?

Is varnish a realistic proposition, or necessary? I've seen Le Tonkinois varnish suggested. Do you really have to re-varnish every year?

Would you paint newly-made oak windows?

Is linseed oil sufficient on the inside of the windows?

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Leaving them alone should be quite sufficient, especially if you prefer the silvered look.

 

[FamilyWiggs]

A real dilemma.

I've used raw linseed oil on some "new" reclaimed pitch pine windows, and then linseed paint form Holkhams. They're beautiful and the paint is a real joy to work with (but you need a week of dry and insect-free weather to complete the job).

That said all the new oak I've put in I have left naked. It seems to me that providing the frames are going to get a chance to dry out occasionally, then the evidence from all the exposed oak around me is that you can pretty much bank on it outlasting your great-grandchildren.

 

[Jon Maine]

We gave our oak doors an oiling when fitted 3- 4 years ago. The sheltered ones still have signs of freshness and a bit of oil, the more exposed ones are now going silver already.

I have a theory that oak moves much more in its first season or two as a door or window, it does seem that after a while it finds an equilibrium and settles down at least our doors have. With this in mind maybe a coat of oil the once and let it slowly weather off to go silver.

 

[biffvernon]

You don't need to treat the oak with anything, but I usually give it a coat of linseed oil just because I think it looks nice. There's not really so much between boiled and raw oil. The boiled ought to 'dry' a little faster but I mostly use raw and it dries in a day if you aren't too generous with it. More important is to use a good quality, such as the Swedish Allback that Holkhams supply. If there's too much protein, that can provide a cource of nutrients that encourage slime moulds. Decent linseed oil won't make the wood go black.

Le Tonkinois is the best varnish, but even the best varnish needs recoating fairly regularly, forever.

 

[skier-hughes]

With my beams it very much depends on the quality of the timber as to what colour they end up after oiling.
The older, more porous, worm holed the darker it ends up. Some is pretty dark.

 

[Cloudscape]

Thanks very much for the advice. I tend to prefer advice that includes or consists entirely of, "Do nothing". :wink:

My impulse was to use good linseed oil and stand back and see what happens. Parts of my house have the 'silvered' oak look, but not the multi-pane later windows. The look there is peeling paint and rot, and it's the later windows I'm having replaced.

But can silvered oak windows just look like you've neglected the wood? I notice on one thread here, a photo of a lovely silvered door, frame and window caused a "needs replacing" comment. I suppose opinions will differ.

 

[Gareth Hughes]

Thanks very much for the advice. I tend to prefer advice that includes or consists entirely of, "Do nothing". :wink:

My impulse was to use good linseed oil and stand back and see what happens. Parts of my house have the 'silvered' oak look, but not the multi-pane later windows. The look there is peeling paint and rot, and it's the later windows I'm having replaced.

But can silvered oak windows just look like you've neglected the wood? I notice on one thread here, a photo of a lovely silvered door, frame and window caused a "needs replacing" comment. I suppose opinions will differ.

Yes, but lovely linseed-oil-painted windows in perfect repair prompt "needs replacing (with plastic)" comments all the time in the real world. Lovely old brickwork prompts "needs repointing / cement rendering / painting with sealant / DPC injecting" comments

etc etc