How do you keep your Thermory project looking and performing its best for decades? Well, that depends on the look you want. Like all real wood, Thermory boards will age and grey over time unless you apply something to delay the process. So the first step is to decide if you’d like to maintain the original brown color, or allow your boards to age naturally.
While the brown color is the natural result of our thermal modification process, the silver is a result of wood’s natural aging process through exposure to the elements. UV light and rain both accelerate the aging process – the amount of exposure influences how quickly your project will age. With direct exposure to sunlight, your project may age to silver in as little as 6 months. To maintain the original color outdoors, boards must be treated with a penetrating UV protective oil.
20-25+ years of rot resistance
Reduced absorbency
No bugs allowed
Responsibly harvested and chemical-free
You’ll have to touch it to believe it
For exterior projects, your maintenance requirements and routine differ based on your desired outcome and the Thermory product you choose. Our finished product lines, such as Drift and Ignite, have different maintenance needs than our natural Benchmark or Kodiak product lines. Though the maintenance may vary, the performance of our boards does not. That means there are no wrong choices – just decades of rot resistance and stability with the look of your choice.
The secret to maintaining the original color is Cutek Extreme. Though there are similar products on the market, Cutek is the only oil Thermory recommends due to its industry-leading, penetrating protection.
Allowing your Thermory wood to naturally age to a stunning silver is your easiest option when it comes to maintenance – and it won’t impact the longevity or stability of your project at all!
This time we mean it. Drift was designed to pave the way to the look of naturally aged barn wood. Left alone, you will eventually have authentic, naturally aged wood.
The bold look of Ignite does require some repainting to stay fresh outdoors. The paint has been tested to last 5 years. For Dragon Scale products, the texture is embossed into the surface of the board, therefore the texture will not require refinishing.
If you allowed your wood to age to silver and miss the original color, getting it back may be easier than you think!
Whether you choose to maintain the original brown or allow your wood to age to silver, Thermory always recommends factory finishing prior to installation. We’ve partnered with our distributors to ensure every order can be factory finished before being shipped to our customers. There are a couple reasons we always recommend this critical step.
Flood-system finishing allows for all 6 sides of every board to be thoroughly coated in your finish. While the surface sides may require ongoing maintenance, an initial coating of oil is enough to protect ground- or inside-facing surfaces from trapped moisture for the lifetime of your project.
An initial coating of oil allows the wood to age evenly - whether you’re planning to maintain the original color or allow it to silver. We recommend a penetrating oil in part for this very reason - by conditioning the wood beyond the surface, it will all age at the same pace.
Factory finishing with a penetrating oil also helps reduce checking and shaking over time. By conditioning the wood with a penetrating oil, small imperfections that often occur over time are prevented. We’re proud of our Smooth Kissed Milling texture - factory finishing allows it to last even longer.
For both factory finishing and routine maintenance, Cutek Extreme is the Thermory-recommended way to keep your project at its best for years. It minimizes warping, cupping and splitting with minimal maintenance time. It’s a penetrating oil with a line of UV protecting finishes (Colourtones) that’s simple to use. We believe that when it comes to wood finishing, Cutek is the best product on the market. That’s why it’s the only brand we recommend for use with our boards.