Cracking oak

[H F]

We have oak pillars that lead up to our house. Ive noticed that we've got some almighty cracks in them.

 

Should we be filling them or treating them in any way?

[bassanclan]

No that is expected with oak and part of its natural charm

[Barney12]

Green oak will do exactly as you've shown but it is highly unlikely that it is anyway compromising the strength of the posts. 

 

Definitely don't do anything. Its probably got a fair way to go yet and anything you add will not only destroy the visual appearance (I guess that is subjective but if you were looking for 'clean' lines then that is the wrong material) but just crack or fall out. 

[H F]

I love the appearance of the cracks was just scared that it would continue to crack and splinter and collapse. Glad to hear that won't be case any time soon. Since it doesn't need it, I won't fill it. 

 

Should we be treating it all every few years with a coat of varnish, preserver, stain, etc.?

[nod]

43 minutes ago, Home Farm said:

We have oak pillars that lead up to our house. Ive noticed that we've got some almighty cracks in them.

 

Should we be filling them or treating them in any way?

Green Oak

we have the same cracks 

They will be standing long after we have gone

[Jeremy Harris]

26 minutes ago, Home Farm said:

I love the appearance of the cracks was just scared that it would continue to crack and splinter and collapse. Glad to hear that won't be case any time soon. Since it doesn't need it, I won't fill it. 

 

Should we be treating it all every few years with a coat of varnish, preserver, stain, etc.?

 

Looks like the oak has been finished with something already.  Most people would probably just let it weather, I think.  It will then go grey, darkening over the decades.  It doesn't need treatment, there are quite a few big lumps of oak in buildings that have been there a few hundred years with no treatment.

[Barney12]

As Jeremy has said it looks like its had a coat of oil. 

The need to re-apply is purely cosmetic, personally I quite like the look of oiled oak rather than the natural grey. If you do decide to coat it try and find out what was used before. 

If it was oil then I'd personally stick with OSMO: https://www.osmouk.com/sitechaptern.cfm?bookid=Products&chapter=82&page=262 

[ToughButterCup]

Green oaks without cracks, I'd be wondering why not ... 

[Ferdinand]

A nice thing about oak is that it grows hoarier, cracked and weatherworn, and more characterful as you live with it over the years, just as you do yourself.

 

THere’s a Tolkien quote that matches sort of, just like my office.

 

Quote

'Yes, it is all very dim, and stuffy, in here,' said Pippin. 'It reminds me... of the old room in the Great Place of the Tooks away back in the Smialsat Tuckborough: a huge place, where the furniture has never been moved or changed for generations. They say the Old Took lived in it year after year, while he and the room got older and shabbier together — and it has never changed since he died, a century ago. And Old Gerontius was my great-great-grandfather: that puts it back a bit.'

 

F

Edited August 22, 2019 by Ferdinand

[H F]

14 hours ago, JSHarris said:

Looks like the oak has been finished with something already. 

 

I think they used a clear varnish.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Home Farm

[H F]

Relieved to hear it’s all good. Thanks for the reassurances everyone.