Solid Oak - Stain/Dye/Polish/Varnish???

It's not kiln dried and is splitting at the ends. Some (bad) pictures:



I've got a before picture at home too.

 

I think the splits look good nFrost, they add a bit off character to the mantlepiece.

@Jungle Jane , love that oak fireplace , with the resin fill

 

Its quite likely if not certain that it will split in half or near enough not to be able to take its own weight.

If you bought that off of someone I would seriously take it back and try to get your money back. If not then take it as a lesson learned that even when a tree is cut down it is still a unpredictable thing.

Hope you didn't pay too much for it either.

 

I'm assuming you are looking for a kind of rustic look, rather than pristine almost furniture like?
If so a few splits are to be expected and often wanted.

Its surprising how long a thick piece of timber takes to dry out, your piece is very likely to be air dried, that will only take the moisture content down to a certain point, not to a point where you could put it into a heated building and not expect some movement while it dries out further.

Not totally sure, but I was once told you cant get 4in thick oak which is kiln dried, they, I assume, dont think its worth doing.


Personally, I'd use some kind of oil on it as others have said, but not linseed, its sticky for a long time.
I'd not stain it as it will to some extent darken with age and I like the natural look.

 

Our standard phrase is "It's got a certain sort of rustic charm Madam."

 

Well that's put a downer on everything. It was £70.

 

Here's what it used to look like:

 

Who did you buy it from?

 

A guy who runs a garden centre in the village.

 

If its just for that one bit that's pretty steep. Kiln dried you would probably pay 60 quid for a length (8-10ft) from a timber yard.

 

Cant split that much its a lump of timber,incorporate some form of decorative ironwork at the end,or even steel inlayed underneath where you cant see it, i use danish oil it does darken the wood a bit gives a good sheen

 

That's a good thought!

 

Just looked at your photo again N.frost and crap as your photos are it does appear to have been finished very well.

 

Second coat of Danish Oil on, happy with it:

 

Looks a happier piece of timber,how did you fix it to the wall