Regular maintenance can extend the lifespan of wooden windows for several decades. Just a little attention is needed, with an annual check usually performed after the winter months. What’s the best to use – wood stains, enamel, or varnish?
In recent years, PVC windows have gained the highest popularity on private properties here, precisely due to the balance of price and quality. They also last very long, are not expensive, and require no maintenance. Wooden carpentry is slowly losing the race with PVC, but many, guided by the philosophy “wood is wood”, still opt for this natural material.
Related Articles:
TIPS FOR MAINTAINING WOODEN GARDEN FURNITURE
GUIDE TO MAINTAINING DECKING FLOORING
And it can’t be said that they’re wrong in their choice. PVC may be more resistant to weather conditions, but quality wooden windows can last just as long. Furthermore, quality wooden windows are not cheap, but they only require a little attention to remain the house’s adornment for decades, both externally and internally. In this text, we won’t talk about repairs, fixing damages with putty, and the like. This time, the theme is – prevention is better than cure.
Why Do Wooden Windows Deteriorate?
The greatest enemies of wooden carpentry are moisture and UV radiation. Thus, the alternation of rain and sun is what leads to accelerated deterioration of wooden windows. This is also why not all windows age at the same rate.
Windows on the south and west sides are most exposed to weather conditions, and much depends on the house’s position, neighboring buildings, surrounding trees… All of this affects how the wood behaves over the years and decades.
One of the most effective ways to double the lifespan of wooden windows is to install shutters. If there’s a shutter on the window, it will usually be lowered during stormy showers and in the strongest sun, protecting the window. You’ll notice that a wooden window exposed to weather conditions needs maintenance once a year, while one with a shutter will have a completely fresh protective layer for years.
What Are the Most Effective Window Protection Methods?
What else can you do to keep wooden windows like new and make them last longer? It’s necessary to inspect them once a year, and the right time for that is the first spring days. Winter always leaves its mark on wooden surfaces, so spring is the right time to refresh and prepare them for the harsh summer sun. On the inside, windows will probably not need refreshing, but the outside will. Look at the wood structure – if it’s dry and the color has started to fade, it needs refreshing.
What Tricks Do Professionals Use?
The advice of experienced craftsmen is to use wood stains. Wood stains penetrate the wood, whereas there’s no layer of color on the surface. In contrast, enamel and varnish form a layer of color or a transparent layer under which the wood structure is visible.
This type of protection is not ideal because no matter how high quality it is, it will crack after a few years, and applying a new layer becomes very complicated because the previous one needs to be removed. Varnish may make sense on the inside, where the wood will gain shine and a finer surface that’s easier to clean, and on the inside, the varnish will last much longer than on the outside.
With wood stains, it’s much easier. Just clean the wood surface with a dry cloth, sand lightly if necessary, and apply a new layer of protection.
How to Apply the Protective Coating Correctly?
Apply the color with a brush in a thin layer. This way, the wood will absorb all the protection without it flowing or accumulating on the wood surface, only to dry there afterward. If you notice that the wood absorbs the protective substance like a sponge after applying the wood stain, it means it’s quite exposed, and it was about time to apply the protection.
You’ll notice that the wood behaves differently with the application of the next layer. Also, read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to apply and how long to wait between two coatings.
Avoid applying color in strong sunlight and, of course, in the rain. You can also use protective tapes to avoid applying color to the wall or glass, and if you have a steady hand, you’ll see for yourself that in many places, the tape isn’t even necessary.
Pay attention when choosing the color. If you refresh the windows once a year and use a brown shade each time, for example, walnut, after a few years, the window will practically turn black. So, if the wood color is stable but dry, needing refreshment, you can use a colorless wood stain or possibly the lightest shade to refresh the color a bit.
The wood will shine but won’t become darker. Pay attention to the color of the windows, especially if you live in a building, so that your apartment doesn’t stand out from all the others.
So, wooden windows are by no means a necessary evil. Quality wooden windows can even be considered a premium product compared to PVC, and they only need a little attention once a year to remain like new for many years.
If you have installed shutters, you’ll notice that refreshing the wooden surface on the outside is not necessary even after several years. Don’t forget, make the most of the spring window maintenance and lubricate the fittings.
Foto: Freepik