The first job is to clean up the new roof timbers. These had been previously been coated with Osmo UV Protection oil. This was necessary as the oak was exposed to the elements while the roof was being built. If we had left it untreated, the mud and rain would have soaked into the wood and been very difficult to remove.
Cleaning up the oak involves softening up the previously applied Osmo with white spirit. Then rubbed it down with wire wool, before finally wiping it down with a clean cloth and white spirit. The more persistent marks will be sanded out. Fortunately, there aren’t too many of these. The final stage will be a second cost of Osmo (this time the internal PolyX version) to reseal the wood.
By the time we get to the end of the first day, the beams in the kitchen have been cleaned ready for a coat of Osmo next week.
These timbers had been previously coated with Osmo exterior wood finish. To get the dirt and finger marks off them, they are wiped down with a cloth dipped in white spirit, then rubbed with wire wool dipped in white spirit and then finally wiped down with a clean cloth (again dipped in white spirit).