# Question on ageing Rough cut Lumber, Hemlock and Pine Color& should I treat it?



## JOE.G (May 24, 2012)

Hi my buddy has a Saw mill and I get what ever I need from him, I have built a Chicken Coop out of Rough Cut Hemlock and Pine, The Boards ( 10 Inch X 1 Inch ) are Pine and the Battons ( 2.5 Inch X 1 Inch ) are Hemlock, And I also put up a Horse Fence using the same stuff ( 6 Inch X 1 Inch ).

My Question is what color will this wood age to? It was real White when I put it up ( It was Fresh cut ) now the pine seems to be yellowing and the Hemlock is yellowing but also turning a touch gray.
I like the old brown barn look.

Also should I treat the wood with anything? How long will it last if I don't? Thanks a lot

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## GeeVee (May 25, 2012)

Gray,


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## JOE.G (May 25, 2012)

I heard Pine turns Gray and Hemlock turns Brown? When they get to a color I like I can just put a clear stain or sealer type stuff on it?


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## brookpederson (May 29, 2012)

JOE.G said:


> Also should I treat the wood with anything? How long will it last if I don't? Thanks a lot



You should always treat wood at least once. If you want it to last, you should treat at least every two years. Pick your poison on what to apply. I like anything that has a UV protection. 

Nice chicken coop, it looks like it will hold a lot of chickens


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## Cody Colston (May 30, 2012)

Untreated wood, exposed to the elements will eventually turn a silvery gray.

There is nothing that will preserve that bright, fresh-sawn color. There are some translucent, UV-blocking finishes like Sikkens Cetol that will preserve it for a year or two but eventually the elements win. The best alternative would be to apply an exterior stain in a color you like.


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## JOE.G (May 30, 2012)

So the best time to stain it i guess is when it's still a light color? How do the old barns get the brown color?


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## mt.stalker (May 31, 2012)

The Hemlock will turn very dark , almost black , untreated . The sunny sides will age fastest .


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## JOE.G (Jun 1, 2012)

So why are most of the barns around here brown? Was the wood Different back then?


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## rmount (Jun 1, 2012)

Nice looking chicken coop. Pine ages to a silver grey, hemlock seems to go a mottled grey, brown, black in the short term but eventually turns silver grey like most woods. I disagree with those that think wood should be finished to preserve it. Most of the boards on our barn are at least 60 - 70 years old and some may well date back to when it was built around 1870. The door was painted way back when but the rest has never been touched. Some of the originally 1" thick boards are down to 1/8" due to weathering but they are still holding. All the boards are pine. If you have a colour you want it to be the only way is to paint or stain it. If you let it age there is no way to stop the process at the colour you like and eventually it will become silver. Were the brown barns in your area maybe painted originally?






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## JOE.G (Jun 2, 2012)

I don't think they were ever painted, I have heard that old timers used motor oil to perserve the wood. Just to the left of your doors up near the overhang there seems to be a little bit of brown there. 

If I stain it will I have to touch it up a every few years? If i dont do anything to it and My Coop lasts a hundred yeas Ill be happy.


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## rmount (Jun 2, 2012)

The tops of some of those boards are brown because the eaves have protected them from the weather. Here is a pic of inside the barn, the inside of the silver grey boards are brown. I guess earlier when I said wood ages to a silver grey I should have said it weathers to a silver grey - it ages to brown but only if not exposed to sun and rain. If you stain your coop it will need restaining to keep its look but I don't know how often, I don't stain 
No idea about using motor oil, but not a job I would want to do.





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## rmount (Jun 2, 2012)

JOE.G said:


> If i dont do anything to it and My Coop lasts a hundred yeas Ill be happy.




Don't do anything except keep the roof repaired and I'll guaranty that will still be standing and usable in 50 years.


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## JOE.G (Jun 2, 2012)

I don't want to use motor oil either just heard the old timers did, I wish some of the guys that put the old barns up and have had them since new were around so I could ask them what they have did over the years. I love barns.


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## Sawyer Rob (Jun 3, 2012)

The truth is, OLD barns lasted as long as they did, because old tree's had more rot resistance in them, no so with most of todays tree's that grow a lot faster.

Our old barn was white pine, it lasted VERY good, put some white pine near the ground today, (like our barn was) and it starts rotting in a couple years...

SR


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## bigtrouble (Jun 11, 2012)

*preserve the wood*

Used motor oil has sulfides in it which with moisture and sun will eat away at your wood over time. Paint seals the wood,keeping moisture and sun off ,also will hold moisture in causing dry rot. In my opinion its best to leave natural or coat with something like linseed oil that lets the wood breath. Most stains have a linseed oil base.


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## JOE.G (Jun 11, 2012)

Linseed oil will turn the wood what color?


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