Front door canopy - treated or untreated

[vala]

I'm building a small canopy to go over my front door out of 4x2 and 3x2 and was wondering on whether it's still ok to go with untreated timber as it will be stained/protected once complete?
Any suggestions or advice is welcome.

Thanks

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Soaking all the cut ends and coating the surfaces with clear Cuprinol or similar before staining is probably better anyway.

 

[vala]

phil.p - thanks for the reply. I'll be sure to source some Cuprinol or similar as well.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Another point of course - untreated wood is far more pleasant to work.

 

[blackrodd]

Unless you are going to paint the canopy, wood preserver is a good idea.
If you use preserved timber after a few months you could still paint in a traditional manner,
just use Dulux silver primer, which will seal most surfaces, followed by undercoat and gloss.
Or prime as you go when building it.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=dulux ... B600%3B600

Its very good stuff and does what it says on the tin.
Regards Rodders

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I made the garden gate of spruce (whitewood) at my last house 23yrs ago. It's still there with no rot. The parts were soaked before it was assembled, then ali primer, two undercoats and Weathershield gloss. Belt and braces - life's too short. I think I painted it twice in the interim.
As a friend once said - isn't it funny how when you can't find time to do something properly, you can always find time to do it again.

 

[vala]

The people who want the canopy want it stained in a rich mahogany so as to match (as close as) the framework of their front door and window.
I'll be sure to do a good few coats of Cuprinol and allow the required drying time before staining it. Looking at some Ronseal stain at the moment and according to the blurb, that will protect as well, so combined with the Cuprinol before hand hopefully it is as best protected against the elements in the future.

 

[blackrodd]

The people who want the canopy want it stained in a rich mahogany so as to match (as close as) the framework of their front door and window.
I'll be sure to do a good few coats of Cuprinol and allow the required drying time before staining it. Looking at some Ronseal stain at the moment and according to the blurb, that will protect as well, so combined with the Cuprinol before hand hopefully it is as best protected against the elements in the future.

I think you will have problems with the cuprinol being spirit based and the Ronseal is waterbased,
I would expect problems with the Ronseal taking to the cuprinol.
Rodders

 

[vala]

Rodders - thanks for the heads up.
Is there something else that's waterbased which the Ronseal would take to that I could use beforehand instead?

 

[blackrodd]

It seem I mistakenly gave you the wrong info.
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid ... r&tbm=shop
There is a water based Cuprinol wood preserver, and others, but how that would interact with the lovely Ronseal,
(one of my favourites), I'm not sure.

Perhaps use it in conjunction with this,----
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid ... 0preserver

Ronseal total wood comes in 3 colours, may be helpful.
Regards Rodders