Timber Framers Guild Forums General General Forum Questions To Stain or Not to Stain

So, I was wondering. How many of you stain/coat/oil your timbers before they go up? I have been putting one coat of stain on my frames before they go up and then 2 more after. I find that the timbers get dirty and beat up in the process of a raising and there is alot of cleaning and touch-up work to do before the second coat goes on. Does anyone put up there frames uncoated, and then coat after? what are your suggestions to help speed things up, or to keep timbers in good shape?

Thanks,

Tim

I don't oil unless it is a definite request, one I can't wiggle out of. This doesn't go far in answering the query. I just wanted to express there are shops not oiling and end sealing the timber as a regular step in the process. I have been know to hit a few spots with an orbital sander, ( that is right Will T.), like a grease smudge or a rubber tire mark from the fork lift, and I do have frames with such marks still on them. This approach puts me in a different class of framing, one where I would rather be, a personal approach, a signature, the yin and yang of framing.

Tim

Personally if the frame is to be oiled I would try to do at least 1 coat before it goes up. Depending on the work and how likely it is to get up clean I've coated it in the shop or on site or both.

A experience I had once... oiled the frame in the shop put it on a trailer truck with out tarps, 25 miles of dirt road later with a quick thunder shower to soak the dust coated timber, we sanded and reoiled the frame on site.

Tim

shipping it oiled is a gamble. So, far I've been lucky.