uncta oleo ligni

"Smearing oil on wood"

Revitalizing the woodwork on the old manor is an ongoing project. Teak is a virtuous wood, prized for natural beauty, resistance to termites and weathering elements. All the door and window sash of the manor is of teak. While it holds up well to the elements, it weathers to an ashy grey. But it springs back to life when sanded and re-oiled. I'm using a product called "teak oil", but it is basically tung oil with additives that improve its performance.
A pair of doors hinged on opposite sides and meeting in the middle with an astragal: I've always called these "French doors". A door that parts horizontally so that either the top section or both sections can be opened: I've always called these "Dutch doors".
The doors I'm halfway through re-oiling are both French and Dutch:

I'll call them double-dutch.

So there are four sections to do. Then sand and re-oil the exterior jamb. To sand without filling the interior of the room with teak dust I've blocked the opening with 1/4" birch plywood, as was previously done with another door.

The oil is readily absorbed by the thirsty wood,

and turns it to a deep rich amber hue...

The title for this blog post is in Latin, so I've likewise labelled the finished product:

Ostium Christum