oak beams

[angrybird]

I have just purchased 4 large oak beams 4.8meters in length from an 1850's farmhouse to use in my home, firstly there is some sign of woodworm on some areas of the beams (the beams are very solid and I have been told that they would have had a treatment some years ago),should I treat them with woodworm treatment and then apply a finish? if so what kind of finish would a beam of that age had? my house is 1840.
secondly with the off cuts I have used them as uprights on the corners of the garden room as Mr Angrybird has made lovely new wooden windows .What treatment should I use to preserve the beams as they will get all kinds of weather thrown at them? (i am looking to enhance the grain not mask it)

 

[biffvernon]

Just keep them dry and they will be fine. No treatment needed.

 

[MdB]

Have a search on Matt Green's posts here for info on wood eaters. He will tell you that munchers like wet wood as the microbes can convert the timber into a form the bugs can digest (though he will use longer words often out of a Latin dictionary...) Keep the oak dry as Biff suggests and it will be fine. Many people here (including myself) have woodworm damage to their beams. With the damp removed, the bugs have gone though the holes will obviously remain to worry future owners....

Spraying just introduces some rather nasty chemicals into your house and is best avoided.

As for the outside wood, I'm considering using Osmo UV protection Oil: http://www.osmouk.com/previewpage.cfm?bookid=book001&chapter=57&page=122 to match what is going to be used on our new windows. I would be interested in others thoughts on this product.

 

[angrybird]

thanks biff and MdB well at least that means less work for me MdB the osmo uv protection oil looks just what I need thank you

jacqueline x

 

[MdB]

The UV stuff will slow down the process where the oak goes silver. Otherwise, I don't think it will do much in the way of protection, oak is pretty good at doing that itself.

 

[Keithj]

Fresh air is all that oak needs. I've got some 500 year old stuff on the side of the house: it's a lovely silver colour and has never been treated with anything in living memory. There's some new (green) stuff alongside it that's starting to take up the same silver look.

We have boring insect holes here and there around the house. The chap from the local firm said they must be several centuries old since nothing could chew that wood now. I think he's right, because I tried to put in a screw to hold a picture, and had to use an HSS drill to make a hole for it.