Finishes
The appearance of the heavy timber surface can be specified to suit a particular style or feel. The finish you choose bears no relationship to structural performance of the wood. Structurlam offers six finishes.
If you are looking for a traditional smooth or planed look we offer three finishes: quality, commercial and industrial. In all three finishes, the beam is planed. For commercial finish voids larger than .75” are patched and the beam is sanded smooth. For a quality finish, the larger voids are patched, smaller voids are filled and the beam is sanded. A quality finish is intended for high-gloss transparent or polished surfaces, and best displays the natural beauty of wood.
If you want a more rustic look, we offer re-sawn, wire-brushed and comb-faced. The re-sawn finish contains a varying degree of character marks created by removing the original face of the timber with a bandsaw. Typically the re-sawn finish is used in conjunction with clear glue which helps to create a look more characteristic of natural timber. The wire brush finish is also considered an architectural finish with characteristics similar to natural timber. The wire-brush effect emphasizes the grain, or acoustical grooves. The comb-faced finish offers a consistent grain or groove that is more regular and less random than the re-sawn or wire-brushed.
Coatings & Sealers
If you are looking for wood without a preservative, Structurlam recommends the use of Yellow-cedar. A semi-transparent stain enhances the wood’s natural beauty by allowing the colour, grain, and texture of the wood to show through.
For exposed applications, Structurlam offers two preservatives: Permapost HI-Clear II, which is designed to pressure treat high value architectural and engineered wood products, and Pentachlorophenol, which is used mainly for industrial applications and exterior wood products.
If you are looking for wood without a preservative, Structurlam recommends the use of Yellow Cedar. As one of the world's most durable timber, it has a natural preservative built into it. Yellow-cedar has natural oily extractives making the wood highly resistant to weather, decay, and insect attack.