From time to time our complaints department receives reports about the graying of wood. It’s no surprise investors are taken aback; after all, their holiday cabin looked beautiful and natural last autumn, and during the first spring visit it appeared as if stained. Why does wood gray? Are there effective ways to eliminate wood graying?
Why does wood gray?
Unfortunately graying is a natural characteristic of wood. Under prolonged exposure to the elements (rain, UV radiation), the wood gradually develops a patina. Depending on conditions and the wood species, this process lasts from a few months up to a maximum of fourteen months, but it is inevitable and cannot be stopped. Subjecting the wood to a chemical impregnation process does protect it from the harmful effects of weather on its structure, but it has no impact on the surface appearance, including the graying. The only way to reduce the intensity of this effect is to choose a preservative with a color different from the natural one.
A wooden holiday cabin or any other wooden structure painted in a chosen color visually changes its shade much more slowly than those coated with a clear preservative. This is therefore a strategy for patinating wood. Moreover, such a protected cabin is much easier to refresh, since after cleaning the surface of the structure you only need to apply a new layer of preservative. With a colorless preservative, removing the patinated coating requires at least thorough brushing, and in most cases – also sanding.
Patinating wood is in fashion
We know now why wood grays and that it is an inevitable phenomenon. It is worth noting, however, that the process itself does not have to be negative at all. In fact, wood patination is increasingly popular as a technique for aging wooden surfaces (most often furniture) to give them a noble, aged character. Looking at the matter with a touch of humor, we can safely say that our graying holiday cabin is in line with current trends.