Bleeding hardwood

Hi all,

I'm a new member so please be gentle,

I was hoping for some advise relating to the bleeding of tannon from some red hardwood timber.

We (me and the missus) are building a home and expect delivery of our timber windows and doors later this month, all the windows and doors are solid "merbau" hardwood, which were specified by Council and RFS for use within a bush fire area.

The plan was to apply a couple of coats of touge oil (something like Sikkens LHS) proir to installation then another couple of coats a few months downs the track, However i have been warned that "merbau" will bleed a red colour when exposed to rain even after pre-coating. This bleeding will cause a nice mess all over the completed block work, which we would like to avoid.

Our manufacturer has only sold a few lots of these (merbau) windows and doors (as the Fire standards are newly introduced) and has not heard back from previous customer about this problem, so little help there or maybe no problem.

A Sikken rep has suggested that this is a real problem abd that we weather all the units by placing them out in the sun and continously watering them and letting them dry out again untill all the bleeding has stopped, then (and only then) apply the coating. he suggested that would take 8 - 10 weeks

He also suggested that we could apply a non transparent finish ( coloured oil base paint) prior to installation then again after, as this would stop nearly all the bleeding at least out onto the blockwork. We would preferr to have a the natural timber finish.

So back to washing the tannon out method, I have no doubt would work, its just that there is nearly 20 large windows and a dozen or so doors and xmas is coming. I also worry about twisting and warping.

Sorry for the long winded decription, so I will get to the question. Is there a reasonably quick method of appling a clear coating to Merbau windows and doors so that they can be installed and will stop or greatly reduce the risk of bleeding over the brick work.

Regards
Jac

If you do a search on this site, I remember someone had developed a product specifically for removing the tannin stains from Kwila (Merbau) prior to finishing. If you do get stains on your brickwork or slab then Oxalic acid will remove most of it.

Mick

Might also be worth looking at coating with shellac first. Shellac is famous for its ability to stop sap and gum bleeding out of pine and I also believe redgum and some other timbers.

Maybe someone else can shed a little more light on this one.

Cheers - Neil:)

The thread your looking for is this one Kwilla bleeding thread

Good luck

Hi I work in a joinery that makes mainly doors and windows and have seen merbau used a for doors and windows but it is used for almost every sill. All of the joinery is made from kiln dried merbau but the sills are often wet because of the size of the timber used. As i have seen both types of timber get wet while sitting in the yard there seems to big difference between how much they bleed when they get wet. When the dry timber is cut it dosnt leave a gummy build up on the blades like the wet stuff. we also use sikkens hls and when thats dry it resists moisture going in the timber to a point any way.For what i have seen the main problem people have with merbau bleeding like in out door furnishing etc is that the timber hasn t been dried which makes it cheaper for the makers.I know the wieght difference between them because i lug it around all day and i lot of outdoor furniture made from merbau is far from dry.Merbau has tends to have a very straight grain that tends not to warp to much while its drying although it does crack badly.I have seen wet sills 250 mm wide only shrink a couple of mm in there width that is why they get away with it.My brother inlaw has merbau timber doors and windows al through his house and i have never him comlplain about them bleeding.

Thanks to all

Very helpfull, its seems that the product that daveinoz pointed me to will speed up the process, by using this Kwila Tannin Wash a window or door would be ready for oiling in about 3 hours, and should just about eliminate the likelyhood of bleeding.

I'll give it a go and let you know how we went.

BTW, wow what a site, the collective knowledge here awesome, I have been looking for some advise re this problem for some time, I found this site and within a few days it looks like I found the answer. I plan to complete the internal fit out myself and even tackle the kitchen and vanity cabinetry, so hopefully other forums on this site will be just as helpful, thanks again.

Jac

My builder has just laid vitex [New Guinea teak etc.] flooring and decks and when touched with water or left in rain goes yellow and drips a lager-coloured liquid. Even the drips of sweat from the floorlayer gives a yellow spot!

Is this tannin, which I thought made timber black, not yellow?

Should we treat with oxalic acid or something before the flooring is sealed and the deck gets wet with rain or beer.....

Advice urgently and gratefully received.

tt