Guide to Exterior Wood Oil Use for Your Timber Projects

Exterior wood oils are specifically designed to enhance the natural beauty of your outdoor wood furniture, decks, cladding and sheds while protecting them. However, applying the right type of oil and finish is critical to ensuring your timber lasts longer.

So, we’ve compiled this guide to wood oil to help you understand what exterior wood protection oil is and how you use it.

Here’s what you will learn about exterior wood oil,

What is Exterior Wood Oil?
Why does exterior wood need oiling?
Next-Generation Wood Oils: Best Wood Oil For Timber Projects
What is Dryden Exterior WoodOil?
How Does Exterior Wood Oil Work?
Can you add colour to the wood oil?
Wood Oil Use for Exterior Timber
How to Apply Wood Oil
To prepare for oiling the wood, you will need
Instructions for applying wood oil:
Some additional tips for preparing wood before oiling:

What is Exterior Wood Oil?

Wood oils are protective and used for decorative wood finishes, these are applied directly to bare timber and wood. They provide a cost-effective, long-term and deep penetrating finish to exterior wood.

Why does exterior wood need oiling?

Exterior wood needs oiling because it helps to protect it from the elements. Wood is a natural material that can be affected by moisture, sunlight, and other environmental factors, which can cause it to degrade and eventually rot.

Oiling the wood helps to create a protective barrier that prevents moisture from penetrating the surface and causing damage.
Exterior wood oils are made to protect the wood from UV radiation, moisture, mildew and fungi. It provides defence against potential weather-related harm like rot, warping, cracking and fading over time.

Additionally, oiling the wood helps to maintain its natural beauty and colour. Over time, exposure to the sun and weather can cause wood to fade and lose its lustre.

Oiling the wood helps to bring back its natural colour and shine, while also providing an additional layer of protection.

 

Why use wood oil vs varnish?

Wood oil is typically used to enhance the natural beauty of the wood by bringing out its colour and grain. It penetrates deep into the wood fibres, providing long-lasting protection against moisture and preventing the wood from drying out and cracking. Wood oil is also easy to apply and maintain, as it can be reapplied as needed without the need for sanding or stripping the previous layer.

Varnish, on the other hand, creates a clear and glossy surface that provides a hard and durable finish. It creates a protective layer on the surface of the wood, preventing water and other environmental elements from penetrating the surface. However, varnish is not as easy to apply as wood oil and requires more preparation before application, including sanding and cleaning the surface.

Featured Guide: How To Protect Wood

Next-Generation Wood Oils: Best Wood Oil For Timber Projects

What is Dryden Exterior WoodOil?

 

Water-repellent, non-filming timber protectors for exteriors such as;

  • Timber cladding
  • Garage doors
  • Exterior wooden structures such as pergolas, louvres

 

Dryden WoodOil is a true migrating oil that helps protect and enhance the natural beauty of timber.

It is called migrating oil because it penetrates deep into the fibres of the timber. It doesn’t form a film on the wood’s surface, so the timber doesn’t crack, flake or peel.

Dryden WoodOil has high water-repelling properties, which is another reason why they are so popular. The oils help prevent water from being absorbed into the wood, helping to reduce extreme splitting, warping and cupping, which in turn extends the timber’s lifespan.

 

Here are a few more of the many benefits of Dryden WoodOil,

  • Is a migrating oil specifically formulated for exteriors
  • Protects the timber and highlights the timber’s natural grain while allowing the timber to weather naturally and silver over time
  • Has an added fungicide
  • Is proudly NZ-made for New Zealand conditions.

How Does Exterior Wood Oil Work?

Dryden’s exterior WoodOil doesn’t form a film on the timber surface. Instead, they deeply penetrate the wood creating a barrier to prevent moisture from entering the timber. This provides long-lasting protection and reduces the risk of cupping, splitting, warping, and movement. The oil enhances the natural beauty of your timber, giving it a silver hue over time.

Look at the image below to see the stark difference between the effects created by a film-forming stain and Dryden WoodOil.

Can you add colour to the wood oil?

Yes, you can add Dryden Colourtone+ to Dryden WoodOil to achieve the perfect aesthetic and finish you’re after. Not only does Colourtone+ enhance the beauty of natural timber, but it also provides extra UV protection against NZ’s harsh sun. Visit the Colourtones+ gallery to see over 37 Dryden WoodOil colours!

 

Wood Oil Use for Exterior Timber

  • Wooden Cladding – Specialist exterior wood oils are formulated with a blend of oils, resins and UV filters that offer better durability, longevity and protection from Sun and weather damage, making them ideal for wooden cladding.
  • Garage Doors – Timber garage door treatment will protect and seal it from environmental debris and will prevent cracking and peeling on the surface. It protects the garage door against water and UV and will allow the wood to expand and contract as needed.
  • Front Doors & Timber Joinery – Using wood oil on timber joinery can help protect the timber, enhance its natural beauty, and make maintenance easier, while also extending the life of the joinery and ensuring the structural integrity of the building.
  • Pergolas / Louvres – Using wood oil for your pergola is a great way to protect and enhance its natural beauty, while also making it more weather-resistant and easy to maintain.

How to Apply Wood Oil

To prepare for oiling the wood, you will need:

  • Sandpaper in various grits (120, 180, 220)
  • Tack cloth
  • Dryden WoodOil
  • Clean rags

Visit here to Calculate Dryden WoodOil required for your project

Instructions for applying wood oil:

  1. Wipe the wood with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or dust.
  2. Sand the wood with 120-grit sandpaper. This will help to smooth out the surface and remove any rough edges.
  3. Wipe away the sanding dust with a tack cloth.
  4. Sand the wood again with 180-grit sandpaper. This will further smooth out the surface and prepare it for oiling.
  5. Wipe away the sanding dust with a tack cloth.
  6. Apply the wood oil to the wood in a thin, even coat. Use a clean rag to rub the oil into the wood.
  7. Allow the oil to dry for 24 hours.
  8. Apply a second coat of oil, if desired.

Some additional tips for preparing wood before oiling:

  • If the wood is new, you may need to sand it with 220-grit sandpaper before applying the oil.
  • If the wood is old or has been previously oiled, you may need to sand it with a coarser grit (80-100) to remove any old finish.
  • Be sure to work in a well-ventilated area when applying wood oil.
  • Allow the wood to dry completely between coats of oil.

With proper preparation, your wood will look great and be protected from the elements for years to come.

Order timber samples to find the right colour for your next project.

Explore Dryden products here.