Maintenance

FOR PAINTED EXTERIOR SURFACES

All exterior surfaces must be completely sealed (painted) shortly after receiving the product.  A premium exterior acrylic- (latex) or oil-based (alkyd) paint is highly recommended.  The bottoms and edges are very important to protect.  Paint should completely cover the exterior glass stops, and in fact lap slightly onto the glass.  All nail holes and cracks must be filled (caulked) and covered with paint.  Exposure to sun and weather will take its toll.  Most importantly, upkeep and maintenance of this protection through the years and decades is crucial to protecting your investment.  We recommend that a local painter be hired to make an annual inspection and perform the necessary maintenance.  The key element is to maintain the product before it begins to fail.  If the product is not properly maintained, significant and costly degeneration may occur.

FOR SIKKENS TRANSLUCENT EXTERIOR SURFACES

All exterior surfaces must be completely sealed with the recommended number of coats.  The bottoms and edges are very important to protect.  The finish should completely cover the exterior glass stops and actually lap slightly onto the glass.  All nail hole and cracks must be completely covered with finish.  Any crack in the finish could allow moisture to get behind the finish, which is not desired.  Exposure to sun and weather will take its toll, especially on translucent finishes.  Most importantly, upkeep and maintenance of this protection through the years and decades is crucial to protecting your investment.  We recommend that a local painter be hired to make an annual inspection and perform the necessary maintenance.  The key element is to maintain the product before it begins to fail.  If the product is not properly maintained, significant and costly degeneration may occur.  Use the attached Sikkens maintenance information for proper procedures.

Sikkens MAINTENANCE

Exposure to sun and weather will take its toll, even on Sikkens wood finish.  Depending upon the amount of exposure (especially sun), the frequency of a maintenance top coat of Sikkens will vary.  An annual inspection is recommended, paying special attention to sills and edges.  When thinning and/or fading is noticed, a maintenance top coat should be applied.  Generally, on average, this maintenance coat should be applied every 2-3 years on sun-exposed sides (south and west) and every 3-4 years on the north and east sides.  Sites with high exposure will require more frequent maintenance.

 

Directions

1. Wipe totally clean the surfaces to coat with common glass cleaner (phosphate-free) and rag to remove dirt, dust, and grime, etc.

2. Allow to dry completely for 24 hours.  Prior to coating, wipe surfaces with a clean rag and mineral spirits to remove cleaner residue and latent dust.

3. Apply a top coat (generally Cetol 23 Plus) with a quality natural bristle brush.

 

 

FOR INTERIOR SURFACES RECEIVED WITH 1 COAT SIKKENS

Often our product is shipped with a 1-coat Sikkens as a stain/sealer on the interior surfaces, which allows the beauty of the wood to show.  These interior surfaces should receive additional coats of something to complete the interior finish.  It can be as simple as furniture oil or some brand of tung oil or Watco brand oil, resulting in a rich, oiled finish.  For a more smooth washable suface, varnish, polyurethane, wax or lacquered types of finish may be used.