When your wood starts to go grey, this isn’t just a sign of ageing, it’s an active biological reaction happening deep within the timber fibres.

UV radiation breaks down lignin, the natural organic compound that holds wood fibres together and gives timber its rich warm colours. Once lignin degrades, wood turns silver grey and becomes brittle and prone to splintering. Standard film coatings or varnishes make this worse. When they inevitably crack, they trap moisture underneath and they accelerate the internal decay.

To preserve wood, you need protection that absorbs UV before it reaches the lignin within the wood while letting the surface breathe. A microporous plant-based penetrating oil stops moisture entrapment, retains the natural warm colour and allows for easy maintenance without mechanical sanding.

And this is where OSMO Hard Wax oils in decking oil formulations with light pigments come to your aid. Take a look at the OSMO decking oil range so that you can take advantage of the benefits of a product especially designed to work with the wood and slow the effect of UV radiation.