07 Apr How Does Exterior Hardwood Decking Or Siding Age
Most of our clients who choose high-density hardwood for their decking or siding project, do so because of its natural beauty, high strength and superior durability. Whether you choose Ipe, Garapa, Machiche or Cumaru hardwood for your exterior projects, there are appearance options that can meet your lifestyle choices.
Here’s what the natural aging process for exterior hardwoods typically looks like:
Because these high-density exterior hardwoods are natural wood products, we often hear questions, such as:
• What happens to hardwoods after they are installed outdoors?
• How will my hardwood look over time?
• What if I like the ‘new wood’ look?
• What if I want the gray ‘weathered wood’ look?
• What are my maintenance options?
The first half of the answers to these questions can be found in the natural weathering process, the other half of the answer is entirely up to you and your appearance preference. As exterior hardwoods weather, several things happen; first the wood moves (changes dimensions, both initially and then seasonally ever after); secondly, the wood will react to the effects of outdoor exposure, mostly ultraviolet rays, wet and dry cycles and other weather factors, that will alter the hardwood’s appearance over time.
First Step: Acclimate, Acclimate, Acclimate
To help control the dimensional changes initially, wood must be properly acclimated. This essential step will help minimize surface checking and improve wood usage and overall performance. There are some truly remarkable high-density hardwood decking and siding species, including Ipe, Machiche, Garapa, Cumaru and more.
Regardless of your decking or hardwood siding species, the first step to a successful project is to always acclimate your exterior hardwoods on-site properly until they adapt to their new environment. During this acclimation period, wood will move and change dimension. Most of this on-site ‘movement’ is typically widthwise shrinkage. For best looks, performance and results, it is imperative that the acclimation be completed before installation. Here is a photo showing best demonstrated practices for on-site storage and acclimation.
Protect Your Hardwood Investment
Because high performance exterior hardwoods are known to last so long, they are often considered ‘investment quality’ decking and siding options. And, as every investor knows, it is best to protect your investment. With exterior hardwoods, this means protecting the surface of the wood with an initial coat of a UV inhibitive sealer. Ideally, hardwood decking, or siding would be pre-finished before it arrives on your site. Otherwise, it should be protected before installation (best option), or immediately after installation (second best option). This low-cost, high reward initial care step helps minimize potential surface checking and allows your exterior wood to stabilize during its first year of seasoning. Think of it as preventative maintenance – it’s like putting on suntan
lotion before you go to the beach.
Annual Cleaning
Regardless of your choice of finish (or decking or siding material), an annual cleaning is essential for best looks of any decking or siding, no matter which material you have chosen. Whether your outdoor material is wood, composite, vinyl, cement, metal or other, removing dirt, debris and detritus annually is always a good idea.
Exterior hardwood decking, or siding is no exception. For best looks – keep it clean. A little bit of care and maintenance goes a long way.
What are My Appearance Options?
1.) If you like the ‘new wood’ appearance, and wish to maintain it, you may re-finish your hardwood decking or siding as desired (usually once every year or two) depending on site conditions, type of finish and other variables.
2.) Otherwise you can allow your exterior hardwood to weather and mature over time to a low maintenance natural silvery gray patina.
3.) A third option is that you can change your mind at any time to suit your needs and lifestyle. If you would like pre-finished material to weather out, you can let it turn silvery gray. Or, if you don’t like the naturally weathered look, you can choose re-finish your hardwood material.
The “Like New” Wood Look Option
Lots of our clients love the rich, deeper appearance that a finish provides for their hardwood investment. A UV inhibitive finish helps protect the wood, especially in the beginning, when the wood
needs to adjust to site conditions and “season”. An initial finish coat also helps blend the natural graining and color variations of hardwoods beautifully. Finish Options here.
If you wish to maintain this type of appearance over time, plan on appropriate cleaning and refinishing as needed. Here’s a lovely Ipe hardwood rain screen siding project after a year of California
weather exposure. An ‘as needed’ recoat will help maintain the ‘like new’ wood appearance.
Natural Weathered Wood Option for Exterior Hardwoods
The natural silver-gray patina can be achieved with hardwood decking or siding, slowly over time. This graceful ‘weathered wood’ look and low-maintenance option occurs naturally over time and exposure. How much time? It’s almost impossible to predict, but normally takes several years. It depends mainly on the amount of weather, orientation, and UV exposure. In general, the more UV exposure and weather, the faster the outdoor woods will silver out.
Also, decking and other exposed horizontal surfaces will weather more quickly than vertical surfaces. Horizontal surfaces often receive more UV exposure and the wet and dry cycles of rain, snow and other weather elements.
The hardwood deck in this photo weathered naturally for several years and develop its graceful silvery-gray patina. The performance of hardwood decking is excellent, even in harsh climates such as this waterfront exposure, and even without annual maintenance coats. The mellowed patination allows the boards with more graining and ‘figuring’ to stand out and be noticed. Check out the Weathered Decking Gallery.
What If I Change My Mind?
It’s never too late to make a change with high performance exterior hardwoods. If you change your mind on your appearance preference, or your lifestyle changes, or you don’t like the maintenance aspect of the ‘like new’ wood look, feel free to let your hardwoods mellow naturally to a silvery gray patina as shown above.
On the other hand, if you don’t like the naturally faded look of your exterior hardwood, you can clean and prepare your deck or siding and refinish appropriately. This photo shows exterior hardwood decking that was allowed to fade. The owner changed their mind and refinished it to a ‘like new’ wood appearance.
If this is the re-finishing option that works for you, you can either strip, clean, pressure wash or other method depending for your decking or siding. Click here for more information about care and maintenance.
Natural Wood Weathering Cycle of Mataverde® Premium Hardwood Species
As you can see from the photos below, all the Mataverde® premium hardwood species will eventually mellow out to a similar silvery gray appearance over time. All these exterior hardwoods start with their original color and graining. Initially, they should be protected with a UV inhibitive sealer for best performance. Then, they may either be maintained to a like new appearance, or allowed to fade to a silvery gray patina. Feel free to choose whichever option fits your appearance and lifestyle preference.
How Does Mataverde® Premium Ipe Hardwood Decking and Siding Weather?
Most of our clients choose high density Ipe hardwood for their decking or siding because it is naturally beautiful, strong and durable. They ask us lots of questions. What happens to hardwoods after they are installed outdoors?
How will Ipe look over time? What if I like the ‘new wood’ look? What if I want the gray look? The first half of the answers to these questions is the natural weathering process, the other half of the answer is entirely up to you.
If you like the ‘new wood’ appearance, and wish to maintain it, simply re-finish your Ipe hardwood decking or siding as desired (usually once every year or two). Otherwise you can allow your exterior hardwood to weather and mature to a low maintenance natural silvery gray patina over time.
Unfinished Ipe Hardwood
Ipe hardwood has a wide range of natural color variations from light browns to medium browns, olive brown and nearly black tones. Typical tropical graining variations will range from fine grained through quarter-sawn, striped appearance and other exotic figuring. The wide assortment of exotic grain and diverse colors is part of the natural beauty of Ipe hardwood. The natural aging
process of exterior hardwoods begins with properly acclimating the new wood on site.
Protect your Investment
Oil finish enhances and darkens wood tones. Initial exposure to UV rays will also darken the appearance of exterior hardwoods for the first few weeks or months.
A UV inhibitive sealer is a “must” finish and is excellent for Ipe hardwood and provides crucial UV protection to allow the wood to adjust to its new site. If you like this ‘new wood look’ appearance, simply reapply more sealer as needed to suit your preference. Or, you can let the wood age naturally.
Transitioning Phase
As exterior hardwoods age in place, the continuous exposure to outdoor elements; temperature ranges, wind, water, UV rays and other weather will break down the lignin on the surface of the hardwood. Depending on the amount of weather exposure, the wood will lighten up and fade over time. The good news is, if you change your mind at any time, you can reapply a new coat of finish to help refresh the “like new’ wood appearance.
Silver and Gray are A-OK
This natural ‘driftwood’ type of appearance of Ipe hardwood is often sought after for its natural look and low maintenance. Because there are so many variables, it’s very hard to predict how long it will take Ipe hardwood to weather.
Usually, after 3 or 4 years± of exterior exposure, exterior hardwoods will develop a silvery gray patina. The more UV exposure and rain and dry cycles, the faster the natural weathering process occurs.
Mataverde® Premium Garapa Hardwood Decking and Siding Weathering Process
Many of our clients choose high density hardwoods because they like the durability, strength and natural beauty of real hardwoods for their decking or siding. The natural aging process of exterior hardwoods begins with properly acclimating the new wood on site. The next step is to protect the surface of the wood with a UV inhibiting finish initially. If you like this look and wish to maintain it, you may re-finish your Garapa hardwood as desired (usually annually). Otherwise you can allow your exterior hardwood to weather and mature to a silvery gray patina over time.
Unfinished Garapa Hardwood
Garapa hardwood has a wide range of natural color variations from pale yellows to medium honey-brown tones. Typical graining variations will range from fine grained through quartersawn, ribbon striped appearance and other milder exotic figuring.
With exposure to weather and sunlight, Garapa hardwood will ‘tan quickly’ to darker yellows and amber tones. For best results, always allow your wood to acclimate properly before installing.
Protect Your Investment
Always start by protecting your wood. A UV protective oil finish will enrich and darken Garapa hardwood initially. It will also protect your wood through the critical acclimation and ‘seasoning’ process. Initial exposure to UV rays will also darken the appearance of exterior hardwoods for the first few weeks or months. If you want to keep the ‘like new’ wood look, you can oil up your exterior hardwood periodically, whenever you prefer.
Aging in Place
Alternatively, you can let your hardwood ‘weather out’, naturally.
In this phase, as exterior hardwoods age, the continuous exposure to outdoor weather; especially UV rays and water, temperature ranges, wind and other elements combine and affect the appearance. First, the oil finish will weather off, then the lignin in the wood surface break down and the fading process is underway.
Naturally Weathered Patina
Eventually the wood, if left to continue to weather naturally, will ‘silver out’. After several years of exterior weather exposure, most exterior hardwoods will develop a natural silvery gray patina
on their surface. This ‘driftwood’ or weathered wood appearance is often sought after for its natural look and low maintenance aspects. Because high density exterior hardwoods perform so well, for so long, this low maintenance appearance is a great option to consider.
How Does Mataverde® Premium Machiche Decking or Siding Hardwood Weather?
Most of our clients choose high density hardwood decking or siding because they are so beautiful and last so long. The natural maturing process of exterior hardwoods begins with the raw wood on site. The next step is to protect the surface of the wood with a UV inhibiting finish initially. If you like this look and wish to maintain it, simply re-finish your exterior hardwood as desired (usually annually). Otherwise you may allow your exterior hardwood to weather and mature to a silvery gray patina over time.
FSC® Certified Machiche hardwood has a wide range of natural color variations from medium brown to reddish brown to chocolaty brown tones. Like most high density tropical hardwoods, there will be a wide range of color and grain variations. From exciting striping, quarter-sawn figuring and flat grains there will be many textural variations in the wood grain. These color and grain variations are most noticeable when the wood is newly installed.
Always protect your wood. Protecting exterior hardwoods initially is a critical success factor, even if your goal is to allow it to mellow out to silvery gray over time. Oil finishes work great for decking and are often used for initial UV protection.
Oil will darken and enrich the color tones and helps blend the appearance of the wood. If this is the look you’d like to keep, oil it periodically as needed.
Otherwise, simply let the oils weather off and allow your hardwood to fade naturally. When hardwoods age outdoors, the constant exposure to rain, sunlight, wind and weather will break down the lignin on the surface of the wood decking or siding and it will appear to ‘bleach out’ and fade over time.
If you change your mind at any time, not to worry. Another coat of sealer will help restore the look of your original wood.
Depending on the amount of exposure and weather (especially UV rays and rain and dry cycles), the wood will eventually silver out, like driftwood. It usually takes several years of exterior weather exposure to achieve the lovely silvery gray patination. The more sunlight and weather, the faster this aging process will take. Because of its horizontal exposure to the elements, the face of decking will ‘weather out’ much faster than siding.
How Does Mataverde® Premium Cumaru Hardwood Decking or Siding Weather?
Many of our clients who choose high density hardwoods for their decking or siding projects, do so because these woods are so beautiful and last so long. With exterior hardwoods, start with proper on-site acclimation and make sure your hardwoods are protected, at least initially, with a UV inhibitive finish to help the wood season properly. After that, you can choose several care and maintenance options for your exterior hardwood project.
If you like the look of an oil finish for your outdoor wood, and wish to maintain it, simply re-finish your hardwood as desired, whenever you prefer. Otherwise you can allow your exterior hardwood to weather and mature to a silvery gray patina over time.
Mataverde Cumaru hardwood has a wide range of natural color variations from light brown to medium and darker reddish-brown color tones. As with many high density tropical hardwoods, Cumaru will exhibit a wide range of tropical grain and color variations. From exotic striping, quarter-sawn figuring and flat grains there will be many textural variations in the wood grain. These color and grain variations are most noticeable when the wood is newly installed.
After proper on-site acclimation, protecting exterior hardwoods with a UV inhibiting finish is the next critical success factor. Even if your goal is to allow the hardwood to mellow out to silvery gray over time, a UV inhibitive finish will help protect the wood initially for best long-term looks and performance. Oil finishes work great for decking and will darken and enrich the color tones and helps blend the appearance of the wood. If this is the look you’d like to keep, oil it periodically as needed.
Otherwise, simply let the oils weather off and allow your hardwood to fade naturally. When hardwoods age outdoors, the constant exposure to rain, sunlight, wind and weather will break down the lignin on the surface of the wood and it will appear to ‘bleach out’ and fade over time. If you change your mind at any time, not to worry. Another coat of sealer will help restore the look of your original wood.
Depending on the amount of exposure and weather (especially UV rays and rain and dry cycles), the wood will eventually silver out, like driftwood. It usually takes several years of exterior weather exposure to achieve the lovely silvery gray patination. The more sunlight and weather, the faster this process will take. Decking (and other horizontal surfaces, like rail caps) will weather to a gray more quickly than vertical surfaces (like siding, posts or rails.)