Is it really worth giving up oak wood for windows, as the carpenter advises?
We are almost finished with the exterior trim, and now our wood windows need to be fabricated and painted by a carpenter. Due to our method of construction (no roof overhangs, flat roof, large floor-to-ceiling (11 m) window glazing on the west side. The carpenter advised us to avoid oak wood with a thick layer of stain and recommended a slightly cheaper meranti wood with an opaque finish.
We would like the wood windows to still have the look of wood – so we are looking for a shade that is closest to the color of the wood. Does anyone have any ideas on this, or have experienced a similar issue themselves?
Answers
The most important motive, if I were to choose wood windows, would be that they should be visibly wood. However, in my opinion, it doesn't "depend" on color alone – I have yet to encounter one that is very characteristic of wood. It depends on the structure (grain) of the wood, which is translucent. In this respect, no shade seems particularly appropriate to me unless it is very evenly pigmented. More irregular – perhaps also more iridescent – or transparent, I would consider more appropriate. I don't think you will find an "absolute" super woody shade. No brown color in the world, for example, guarantees a particularly "woody" window experience.
Use varnish oil from the shipbuilding industry. Example: Epifanes hardwood lacquer oil. A liter is about $30.00.
What is it? An oil that penetrates deep into the wood and impregnates it, but dries to a shine like a varnish.
Alternative: a similar varnish: Le Tonkinois, probably a little cheaper.
