Treating oak beams

[babs]

Hi again
I have just got a wood buring stove fitted and the guy intsalled a reclaimed railyway (treated) sleeper on top. I have sanded it back and now need to coat it with something for protection - however - there is lines down the sleeper. Not running across it - running vertically up and down! Its driving me mad. I have tried wax but it highlights the lines, i have tried an antiqu oak wax - 3 coats later and it looks like its been tangoed! At this rate the sleeper will be so smooth it will have been a waste of time getting it!

Before i lose all the rustic look - will someone tell me what i have to do! Can i get rid of these lines or are they right through the wood? Is this normal?

Ps - my dad suggested turning it over and exposing the other 2 sides then starting again........hmm

 

[Nemesis]

What sort of protection did you think you needed? What do you mean 'on top'? And how far apart are these lines?

 

[babs]

just to stop stains on it etc plus it was very rough - like dirty rough!

 

[Nemesis]

Railway sleepers are rough though - and they used to be creosoted, maybe that's what the dirt is?

Not at all a smooth interior finish really, and I can't see you acheving that.

 

[babs]

well - at the moment after all my sanding i have a really smooth surface on it. The dissapointment is the blooyd lines! They are driving me insane - not so bad now the sleeper looks tangoed! (antique oak stain) but when it was just waxed it was really bad.

 

[babs]

Oops!! Just remembered - its not a genuine sleeper! Its an oak beam cut like a sleeper.

I got carried away there coz ive using sleepers in my garden!

So can the oak beam be treated to take the lines out?

 

[Nemesis]

Are these possibly saw marks?

Can you post a picture? It's hard to visualise.

 

[Mark]

I was concerned that a railway sleeper be used over a stove - all that oil they get treated with is a bit flammable.

Sounds like saw marks. How rough do you want it to be?

 

[babs]

If they are saw marks will sanding remove them? I could even plane them? I just want tehm to be rid of the lines. Dont particulary care how rough/smooth it is.

 

[MdB]

Any possibility of a photograph?

 

[Penners]

Assuming that your oak billet is rough sawn, these are probably bandsaw marks. As you have discovered, any kind of staining or polishing will probably only serve to highlight the marks.

Sanding would eventually get rid of them, but only if you're quite young. You'll need to remove perhaps 1 - 2mm or more of timber (depending on how deep the marks are) and with a piece of sandpaper that could take several years of your life.

Planing is probably the best way to remove the marks. Mind you, this will also remove the "rustic" surface of the timber.

 

[babs]

I fi could find the lead for my digital camera i would leave a photo! However, i think i shall try planing it. Ill try and get a pic on tonight so you can see what i mean.

And your so right Penners - any wax is hightlighting the lines!

Cheers guys
Babs

 

[biffvernon]

They're not 'lines', they're 'character'.

 

[Penners]

I say that to myself every time I look in the mirror.

 

[babs]

symetrical vertical lines are def not character! It looks like someone has painted them on!!!!!

 

[babs]

and there are creams you can buy for those lines of yours penners! Try Olay - very good :lol:

 

[Toby Newell]

Penners

You are assuming they are oak. Perhaps they is not?

Babs

If the lines are vertical (condescending mode "off") could they possibly be the lines below where the railway lines where?

If so they could be some form of iron stain. You will have to remove all that horrible orange wax (hooray!) with lots of white spirit and coarse wire wool, wash with hot washing soda then apply a boiling solution of oxalic acid. This should lighten any lines considerably especially if they are iron stains. Hopefully this will remove more tango juice. Now you can apply a coat of shellac (natural beetle tango juice) and apply a nice clear wax, you should now have much feinter lines.

And I am sorry. If bloody great vertical lines aren't typical "character" for railway sleepers then I don't know what is!

Toby Newell

 

[Nemesis]

Oops!! Just remembered - its not a genuine sleeper! Its an oak beam cut like a sleeper.

So - probably not marks from metal. And as far as I can recall rail tracks aren't laid in a manner which would give those sort of marks. There is a bracket between track and wood.

 

[Tom]

just to stop stains on it etc

Why do you need any kind of protection? What stains are you anticipating on a lintel? Can't you just get rid of the wax finish you've put on and leave the wood natural? I think that would be your best bet, given your description of the problem, otherwise you'll end up planing it to within an inch of its life!!

Jaqy

 

[Penners]

Oops!! Just remembered - its not a genuine sleeper! Its an oak beam cut like a sleeper.

Toby - you may have missed this by the OP below her original post.