How to get timber turn a beautiful silver grey?

The naturally aged “silver grey” timber becomes very popular, as we search for low maintenance, environmental solutions and a look. Cedar is best known for it’s beautiful natural grey. But any exterior timber can be used to reach this effect.

However, without regular treatment any wood will become discoloured, weathered, mouldy, and cracked. The best product to let timber age naturally into a beautiful silver grey is Cutek® Wood Preservative, or its low VOC version Cutek CD50® LVOC. It’s quite expensive, but it’s worth it.

Cutek® Wood Preservative is a timber oil. Literally! It’s a fatty liquid, like a cooking oil you buy in a supermarket, but specially formulated for the timber. It does not create a hard finish coat, like a decking coat or varnish. Instead it gets absorbed deep into the timber, like shown on a picture.

If you want to get a silver grey timber look – use colourless oil. Initially timber will look golden, as if varnished. But with time it will turn a nice silver grey.

Cutek oil is water repellent, fungus and mould resistant. It does not peel or crack. Instead it will fade gracefully over the time. It has to be reapplied every 1-3 years – when oil starts to wash off. Application takes time. It requires 2-3 coats at least 1 week apart, so oil can absorb in a timber. If your timber is old and weathered it has to be cleaned and restored first.

Picture source