ᐅ Recommended Finish for Exterior Wood Cladding

Hello everyone,

After a major extension and renovation, the final step is to apply wooden cladding to the upper floor.
Which manufacturers of wood stains (light oak) would you recommend?
I am familiar with: Amonn, Bondex, Gori, Xyladekor.
I would appreciate some suggestions and recommendations.
Thank you in advance.
Best regards

A wood stain isn’t exactly rocket science, and hardly anyone has compared several options. I chose Bondex, but any other product in this (rough) price range will work just as well.

Over the years, we have tried various products at home and have generally been satisfied, without noticing any major differences. We always made sure to choose higher-quality options rather than the cheapest from no-name manufacturers, and that has always worked out very well in the end. So, I can’t recommend a specific one because I don’t remember, but in that price range, there definitely isn’t any I would advise against.

MachsSelbst schrieb:

A wood glaze is really not rocket science, and hardly anyone has compared several types.

Clearly, working with wood glazes is more complicated from a technical standpoint than most people think. First, it depends on which type of wood is being used. Then, of course, it also matters where the wood is installed.

It’s not possible to make general statements. The manufacturer is initially irrelevant. The color also plays a significant role.

Basically, you can choose between thick-layer and thin-layer glazes with either a closed or open surface. For the area you’re treating, I would strongly recommend an open-pore thin-layer glaze.

Always apply a primer to the wood first. Then apply the thin-layer glaze several times. It may require 4 to 5 coats. That way it should last practically forever.

Thick-layer glazes often become brittle due to sun exposure and time. Then you may need to sand and repaint after 10 years or earlier. Anyone with a white soffit will know what that means.

I have large roof overhangs, and even on the weather-exposed side it still looks like the first day after 15 years. No problems. I also used an open-pore thin-layer glaze from Bondex plus a primer beforehand.

Since I had large areas to treat, everything was applied six times using an air spray gun, so quite thick. The mostly gel-like thick-layer glaze can only be applied with brush or roller but covers much better.

The thick-layer glaze is a closed glaze—moisture can enter the wood but cannot escape. The wood then moves more, becomes cracked, or expands. Some wood species do not tolerate this at all and begin to rot. Oak or ash are particularly prone to this.