Radial Timber Sealer
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Timber Finishes

Radial Timber Sealer

A clear, unpigmented sealer for hardwood you want to grey off naturally. Controls moisture as it silvers, so it weathers evenly instead of checking and splitting.

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↓ Safety Data Sheet ↓ Technical Data Sheet

Finish: Clear, unpigmented sealer that lets timber grey evenly
Use on: Hardwood — radial-sawn cladding, decks, fences, green timber
Format: Sealer. One generous coat — brush, roller, spray or dip.
Not for: Keeping the timber's colour: use Aussie Clear.

Need advice? Call 03 9532 0679.

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Which one do I need?

Match the timber's tone for a natural look, or pick a colour. Same penetrating oil underneath; only the pigment changes.

Mid to dark, naturalMerbau · Spotted Gum · Jarrah · Ironbark · Redgum · Western Red CedarAussie Clear →Blond to mid, naturalBlackbutt · Silvertop Ash · Yellow Stringybark · White CypressAussie Clear Light →Treated pine, naturalRadiata & Slash Pine — softwoods need a different oilExterior Pine Clear →Walnut brownAny exterior timber — one designer tone across blond, dark, pine and cedarWalnut Timber Finish →

Let it grey naturallyHardwood you want to silver — clear, unpigmented sealerRadial Timber Sealer — this page

Directions for use

Preparing the timber, then applying

Before you brush

Clean and dryA clean, dry surface free of dirt, grease and wax.
Already grey? Clean itGreyed timber should first be cleaned with Grey Deck Cleaner, then allowed to dry.
New timber is the ideal caseIt is designed as a one-off initial application on new or green hardwood — apply it as the timber goes up.

Applying the sealer

One generous coatBrush, roller, spray, dip, wipe — or a lambswool applicator on decks and floors. Coat all end grain well to minimise water absorption.
Allow 24 hoursA minimum of 24 hours before foot traffic on decks.
Still looks dry? Once moreIf the timber still looks dry after the first coat, another application may be needed.

Changing your mind laterIt takes a pigmented overcoat — Aussie Clear or Walnut Timber Finish — but the greyed surface needs Grey Deck Cleaner first.

Where it goes

Hardwood that's meant to silver

External cladding, window frames, fences, trellis, decking and pergolas in hardwood — and especially radial-sawn board-and-batten cladding, natural-edge weatherboards and green timber that needs to season in place.

Radial board-and-battenThe product was developed for radial-sawn timber and its wide, live boards.

Natural-edge weatherboardsWaney-edge cladding that is left to weather.

Green timber seasoningSealed as it goes up, so it dries slowly in place rather than checking.

Cladding & screensAny hardwood facade meant to grey evenly.

Fences & pergolasStructural timber that will silver rather than be re-oiled.

DeckingA lambswool applicator makes it quick on floors and decks.

Seals the timber, not the colour

Why it works

Every other finish in the range holds a colour. Radial Timber Sealer does the opposite job: it repels and controls moisture while the timber weathers to its natural silver-grey — so you get the look without the damage that usually comes with it.

Controls the drying

A blend of organic and inorganic resins slows rapid moisture loss — the cause of surface checking in new and green timber.

Greys silver, not black

Helps keep greying timber an even silver-grey rather than blotchy black.

Still looks and feels like timber

Non-film-forming and unpigmented. The timber greys off from UV as it would untreated, just evenly.

Specifications

Timber: Hardwood — new, green or existing
Finish: Clear, unpigmented, non-film-forming; timber greys naturally
Coverage: Seasoned timber 11–12 m²/L dressed, 8–9 m²/L sawn · green timber 9–11 dressed, 7–8 sawn
Dry time: 24 hours before foot traffic
Recoat: Designed as a one-off application; water repellent for over 12 months on fully exposed timber
Clean-up: Mineral turpentine
Pack sizes: 4 L, 10 L and 20 L
Made in: Australia

Common questions

Will the timber still go grey?

Yes — that is the point. It greys off naturally from UV over roughly 18 months, but evenly, and helps it stay silver-grey instead of the checked, split and black-spotted look that unprotected timber gets on the way.

How often do I reapply?

It is designed as a one-time application on new timber. It stays water repellent for over 12 months on fully exposed timber and loses repellency slowly after that. Re-seal if you want to keep the water repellency going.

Can I change to a coloured finish later?

Yes. Clean the greyed surface with Grey Deck Cleaner, let it dry, and it will take Aussie Clear or Walnut Timber Finish.

What is radial-sawn timber?

Timber cut like the spokes of a wheel rather than across the log, so every board has the same stable grain orientation. It is sold as wide board-and-batten cladding and natural-edge weatherboards — the timber this sealer was developed for.

You might also need

Rustic Grey Stain

The grey look on day one on rough-sawn timber — a water-based stain instead of waiting for the weather.

View product

Aussie Clear

Hold the timber's colour instead of letting it grey.

View product

Grey Deck Cleaner

The prep step before this, or before switching to a coloured finish later.

View product

Australian made in Cheltenham, Victoria since 1988 — founded by two CSIRO timber scientists. The whole story →