Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions Finishing: Lifetime Product

Here on Gabriola Island we have a some builders swear by this stuff for finishing, but I don't trust them as they are conventional stick framers. Yet their argument is compelling. Does anyone have experience with this stuff:

Lifetime Finish: Lifetime Website

From ISBA we learned that Ferrous Sulphate patina's wood and if you appply tung oil it will turn the timbers almost black. Left alone it will grey (patina) the wood as if it were yellow cedar left alone (or ammonia applied).

From my experience so far, Ferrous sulphate doesn't patina green sap wood very well, not consistantly at least.

My clients like the grey look but the black is offending.

Please dispense wisdom my way.
Cheers,
Billy

Interesting stuff. I have never worked with it, so i can't speak directly form experience, but here are my thoughts anyway.

I'm always a little skeptical of anything claiming lifetime or maintenance free. What do you consider the "lifetime" of your building. As they say they have been around for 60 years, if you expect your building to last longer than that then I would say you can't know if it is a lifetime finish.

From their website:
"Sealers are not necessary and not recommended. LifeTime Wood Treatment does not seal wood but instead allows the wood to breathe and age naturally."

If the wood is going to age naturally, then why not let it age naturally. This product seems like a way to speed the look of aging, but not protect the wood. I guess the question is are you wanting to accomplish, protection or an aesthetic?