WOOD FINISH MAINTENANCE: notes and advices for the maintenance of Albertini windows and doors Your Albertini windows and doors have been treated as follows: One flow coat application of preservative stain; One flow coat application of coloured stain; One flow coat application of water-based varnish with optimum dry mill thickness; All wooden products can last forever if they are maintained adequately. Also windows and doors need a periodical and careful control in order to ensure a long durability and constant functionality. In fact, the wood is subject to continuous weather attacks and varnish has the purpose to protect the wood from these agents. There is no rule which specifies how often these maintenance activities should be made, because this depends from the various types of architectural and installation solutions. We can only say that windows and doors exposed to the South need a particular attention because sun is the worst enemy of the wood. A good habit would be to control your windows and doors every six months or every year and then decide the most suitable procedure to follow. It is really important to understand that preventive treatments are necessary to avoid bad damages in the future. The maintenance procedures to follow are different if the windows are stained or painted. 1. MAINTENANCE IN CASE OF STAINED FINISH (Walnut / Honey / Sereso / Natural) Albertini has prepared for all clients a special maintenance kit where you will find: a can of maintenance oil KK1112 to feed the wood and let it leave longer. This can also be used as a reviving product at the end of the installation process when cleaning the house. a can of water-based finishing useful for little repairs or touch-ups. two brushes, grit sponge and sand paper. some putty sticks for little repairs. 1
After some years from their installation windows and doors are usually in one of these conditions: Maintenance on stained windows in good conditions Type of Maintenance: Preventive 1. Cleaning: Clean well the surface to be treated in order to remove dirtiness and smog that could compromise the good adhesion of the maintenance products. Wash the surfaces with mild (alcohol and ammonia-free) detergent and a soft, clean rag or sponge. 2. Maintenance: Apply a uniform coat of KK 1112 with a clean rag. Maintenance on stained windows in bad conditions Type of Maintenance: Refinishing Before maintenance fig. 2 2
Procedure to follow: 1. Protect the glass surface with adhesive tape fig. 3 2. Remove the old coating by smoothing with sand paper. If the window's status is very bad (see Fig. 2), eliminate the old coating from the whole damaged jamb, then dust the surface and control if there are any trace of old varnish. Clean in depth the surface (figg. 4-5). fig. 4 fig. 5 fig. 6 3
3. Stain with: - HI2010 transparent, in case of NATURAL or HONEY finish - HI2012 walnut, in case of WALNUT finish - AML 7014/56 cherry, in case of SERESO finish Apply the preservative stain by brush (Fig. 7). Choose the stain colour that better fits to your needs (it is better if you use some transparent and some coloured stain in order to obtain a better result). If the wood condition is as shown on fig. 2, apply the stain on the whole surface (Fig. 8); if it is as shown on fig.4, apply it only on the cleaned areas. fig. 7 fig. 8 The result at the end of this step should be similar to fig. 9 fig. 9 4
4. Resin with: - HF 2040 transparent, in case of NATURAL finish - HF 2043 oak, in case of WALNUT, HONEY or SERESO finish After 1 hour apply the varnish by brush (fig. 10). fig. 10 5.Varnish with: - HF 2040 transparent, in case of NATURAL finish - HF 2043 oak, in case of WALNUT, HONEY or SERESO finish 5
After two hours sand with 320-grit paper in order to remove any possible residual of wood fibre and then apply another coat of varnish by brush (Fig. 11). fig. 11 In case of units deeply exposed to the sun (situated on the southern part of the building) repeat this step again. Final result after the application: 6
2. MAINTENANCE IN CASE OF PAINTED FINISH After some years from their installation windows and doors are usually in one of these conditions: Maintenance on painted windows in good conditions Type of Maintenance: Preventive 1. Cleaning (every six months) Clean well the surface to be treated in order to remove dirtiness and smog. Wash the surface with mild (alcohol and ammonia-free) detergent or using the Sayerlack detergent HH8011 Linea Blu. This step will be useful also to show up any damaged point and let you intervene properly where necessary. Procedure to follow Apply the detergent on a soft, clean cloth and clean the surface with circular movements using a very light touch. Then dry well with another clean rag. 2. Maintenance: This procedure shall be followed only if the finish is intact (no peeling, no cracking), if it has retained original film thickness, and needs only temporary enhancement of sheen. Procedure to follow Apply a uniform coat of KK 1112 (Sayerlack maintenance oil) with a soft, clean rag taking care to remove the product in excess. fig. 13 Note: in case of white paintings, or pastel colors, take care to remove completly the maintenance oil in excess. In fact the presence of residuals may cause an early yellowing of the varnish. 7
Maintenance of painted windows in bad conditions Type of maintenance: Refinishing 1. Retouch If the film reveals small damages (bumps, accidental scratches), it is necessary to restore the original film thickness where missing. The purpose is to avoid that water filters through the damaged film and causes serious damages on the bottom wooden parts (greyness, moulds ), causing also possible film peeling. Before the intervention fig. 14 Procedure to follow: 1. Clean the window with the product Sayerlack HH8011. 2. Protect the glass surface with adhesive tape (fig. 15) 3. Fill up the scretches or cracks with common plaster stucco for wood (fig. 16). fig. 15 fig. 16 8
4. Allow minimum 1 hour drying time, then sand with 240-grit paper (fig. 17). fig. 17 5. Apply by brush one coat of water-base varnish of the color desired, similar to the product Sayerlack HL206X (fig. 18). fig. 18 6. Allow minimum 2-3 hours drying time, then sand again and apply a second coat of varnish. 9
The final result should be similar to what shown on fig. 19. fig. 19 2. Refinishing and restoration This intervention has the purpose to restore the original external protective film and longevity of the wooden products and must be done after many years from installation. As the procedure is complicated and needs a lot of expertise, it is advisable that it is done by professional people, so that they can evaluate the better intervention to do in relation to the status of the wooden windows. 10