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Recently re-sided my old barn with white oak from the sawmill. Looking for a stain recommendation for it. I don't want to do a solid color stain, though I know that would protect it longer.

Anyways, any recommendations are appreciated.

My experience with oak siding has been on farm buildings, and I've never known of one that was stained. I have an old stable that is at least a 100 years old, and the oak siding is still good. But, your barn is your barn, and if you want it stained, then do it. What about a preservative, one that would help protect the wood, yet keep the original color of your siding?

That's what I'm looking for, to protect and keep the color. The sun is brutal on the front side of the barn

I sprayed a deck a few times with a wood preservative. It darkened the wood only slightly. BUT......that was pressure treated stuff, and I don't know that it really needed it in the first place. Probably because my wife told me to.

I use Behr Premium Transparent Waterproofing Wood Stain, Clear No. 500N. I have it on fir siding, T11 pine siding, pressed board siding, , and 1x6 x 6 ft high cedar fencing. It has some pigment in it that does give the wood some color.

It last about 4-5 years until it needs redone. On oak though I am not sure how any stain/ waterproofing will work well due to the grain structure when compared to a softer wood. It will not soak in as readily. Previously I used boiled linseed oil sprayed on with a high pressure paint sprayer, but that takes a long time to dry if it ever does.

The more pigment in the stain, the better UV protection you will get

Used motor oil and diesel, a garden sprayer or broom
After it has dried a year or two.





Not metro cool,
just what old farmers did.

White oak is tough to finish in simple ways because it is so difficult to get finishes to penetrate. That is why it is THE barrel wood.

If you ever get a peek at commercial lumber prices there is an interesting note around white oak compared to red. At 4/4 and green it sells for about the same price as red oak, but when you look at dry prices it suddenly get s much more expensive, especially as the thickness increases. It takes a lot more time to dry and when it does a lot of it fails dry properly and much more of it fails to make grade after drying.

With that, consider hanging it out in the weather with one side protected from the weather. It is in need of something to help it dry uniformly. It is really a poor choice for siding. It is a shame, too, because it is outstanding wood for what it does well...

Ok, lots of old barns around here in white oak.

Understand absolutely, just describing the issues to help your decision-making.

Stain just doesn’t penetrate white oak all that well. The other downside is how often you will need to apply stain to keep it up. Vertical with protection from weather like overhanging roof it will last long enough with nothing done to outlast you in my experience. My grandfathers family barn was built when he was 8 with white oak, red oak, and has chestnut beams from a even older barn that blew down in a storm. Per my grandfather the beams were cut by his great grandfather. It’s unbelievable how well it has held up over the years. May need some work in next 10-15 years though. Never had new siding other than the occasional piece

He’s 85 now btw

cwf flood in clear turns a nice orangish brown on white pine over the years. very pretty. not sure what it would do on white oak but its my go-to for any vertical wood stain. comes in shades too.