Wood Bleaching, bletch!

I'm not aware of anything. The sun is hard on most stuff, so I'm not sure whether anything will make too much of a difference.

-=> Mike Hanson <=-

I may be wrong here, but mostly when wood is subjected to large amounts of UV (sunlight), it gets darker, not lighter. That's why T & G pine starts off very fresh and light, and then goes that awful late seventies brown. The only wood I have encountered which goes lighter is cork floor tiles.

Both Sadolin (sic!) and Sikkens do low-build treatment compounds (about the consistency of white spirit) which supposedly incororate UV filters to prevent this, among other things. However, AFAIK they all need to be applied to bare timber, rather than pre-finished veneer.

I am always surprised that more speakers are not available in a gently "limed" finish to limit the UV effect. Certainly the picture of the LP12 in the current issue of (News of the) HiFi World looks to have a limed plinth. Nice colour -- shame they lost the grooves in the plnth...

Best;

Mark

(an imperfect
forum environment is
better than none)

Thanks Guys.

as it goes I can wholeheartedly assure you that my credos I just sold went from black to a very light kinda oak colour, it didn't get darker, presuambly there arn't any black woods out there I have to assume the bleaching effect was infact removing the colouring applied to the wood, hopefully with a more natural wood colour they will get darker, (preferable)

I don't think it noticed too much, until the grills were removed to reveal their former glory, (still sold um!)

I wonder about the creation of a company promoting natural wood polish with UV sun protection, hell you could go all the way with factors and skin/wood types!

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I wonder about the creation of a company promoting natural wood polish with UV sun protection

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Probably already available if you look for it. Ikea sell some of its light-wood furniture with UV blocking varnish for the very reasons mentioned here.

What is actually worse than the wood darkening over time is when part of the furniture (or speaker) has been in shadow. Thats when you start to get a very obvious streaking in the wood. My kitchen units were fitted with birch fronts about eight years ago. Below all the drawer handles are light coloured patterns/streaks where the sun never has a chance to strike directly. If your speakers are partly in shadow (or one completely is and the other isn't) it may pay to try and lessen the effect by swapping them over after a couple of years (asuming they aren't dedicated L/R units).

Allan

Can be prized so long as its even - swap the speakers around, try to keep the bleaching even on both sides of both speakers. I would advise against further coatings on the speakers (could do more harm than good) but you could change all the window glass (for UV filtering museum grade) at great expense in a moment of madness. Or you could employ some nasty vinyl wrap for protection.

The sun isn't too much of a problem here but we still opted for the EE glass when selecting the replacement windows. It adds about $50 per window but considerably reduces radiant heat and UV transmission, so not only do you save energy (kinda high profile right now) but you also save rugs, paintings and precious hi-fis from accelerated fading.

Cheers

John

Mr Pig

If your LP12 is twenty years old please get it checked out .....you have an unfortunate history of using, how shall we say, crappy products which sound OK to you.

Now really.......sunblock on wood......Mrs Pig would love that.......something to do with attracting dust old chap.

Believe it or not but this is true.......I am just off to a belated wedding reception of a good friend of mine and the main attraction is a spit roasted pig.

Regards

Mick

ah the old spit roast, word of advise get in quick, the centre is always raw!

Like the idea of swapping the speakers around once in a while, luckily I have wood block floor so this could be easier than would otherwise be possible.

for now, (being as they are new un all) I polish them religiously but as the above said it may cause more harm, I guess with all them waxes on there they could cook in the sun.

To be honest I liked the look of the bleaching on the credos, and it didn't put the buyer off, I guess it don't effect the sound or in this particular case the price so there you go.

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so not only do you save energy (kinda high profile right now)

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Its a pity Mr Bush and his buds down at Exxon HQ aren't aware of it.

Allan

I work with Paul (the guy who bought your Credos)!

They do look quite interesting and unusual with the bleached look.

Andy.

?

yes indeed, your wood (hehhhh hehe heeehhh - he said it, he said "wood") can indeed lighten through exposure to UV. A good quality wood treatment from the southern hemisphere should do thee trick, as anything sold without UV protection for the fierce amounts of UV floating around down there is about as much use as a [insert favoutite witticism about chocolate teapots or chocolate fire-grates]....

try Wattyl - the great Australian paint, or perhaps Resene Paints - if you're interested, you should at least find white papers on what the real deal is for countries with a major UV problem, and then apply this knowledge in looking for local products.

Alternately, just draw your curtains. Or live somewhere with sod all sunshine!

Rico - let them eat Kans.