Windows of the world need care
Q: What’s the best product to use for finishing the interior of pine windows? I want to leave the wood its natural colour and I’m thinking of either waterbased urethane or tung oil. A: The interior surface of wooden windows takes a surprising amount of stress. Damaging levels of ultraviolet light shine through the glass, wide swings in temperature occur, and many windows develop at least a little bit of condensation during winter, wetting the wood in the process. The bottom line here is that even though the inside of wooden windows is an interior surface, it’s best coated with a film-forming exterior finish. As much as I like tung oil for many applications, I wouldn’t use it on windows. Conventional waterbased urethane isn’t great either, since most formulations don’t stand up to UV rays.
I’ve had good results using Minwax Helmsman exterior urethane on interior wooden window surfaces. It’s easy to use, dries virtually clear and forms a tough film, yet creates a smooth finish. Just remember to sand the wood lightly with 240-grit sandpaper or a fine 3M rubbing pad after the first coat has dried.
Sikkens Cetol works very well on windows, but all versions are some shade of golden or brown colour.
Also — and this is important — I’d wait until warm weather in the spring before finishing your windows. Even though your room might be cosy during winter, the wood of the window is quite likely to be too cool for any finish to dry properly.
When it warms up enough for finishing, you’ll get best results if you sand back to bare wood first. A detail sander is the perfect tool to use. As a final step, use a razor blade scraper to remove any finish that got on the glass.
HOMESTEADING SKILLS Q: What’s the best way for me to learn how to create a rural homestead for myself? I’m a 23-year-old college student and I want to move to the country and produce as much as I can for myself directly. A: Some 27 years ago, I did exactly what you have in mind, and my first step was to buy 90 acres of land in the middle of nowhere. This is where my wife and our kids live. We built a house, drilled a well, created gardens, planted apple trees and learned how to earn a little money in ways that suit us, while still leaving us time to continue building our homestead dream. I’ve seen others set out to do this same thing, and I’ve paid special attention to what separates those who succeed from those who don’t.
The biggest surprise I had when I set out was how important money still remains. It’s true that money is far less important out here than in a place where you need to buy everything, but it’s still nice to have enough income to keep basic vehicles and equipment in good order, and to buy a few luxuries. More than a few people I’ve seen who set out to create homesteads for themselves underestimated the need for financially valuable skills and end up working minimum wage jobs while their homestead dream grinds to a halt because they don’t have the time, energy or resources to keep it growing.
As far as manual skills are concerned, there are dozens you’ll need to learn, but if you’re the right kind of person for homesteading, then learning is fun. The best way I’ve discovered is to struggle with real world challenges, ask for advice from people handier than you are, buy excellent tools to meet real needs as they arise, then take full advantage of the many opportunities to learn online. When I set out to build my skills beginning in 1985, life would’ve been a whole lot easier with Internet access in the 10-foot by 20-foot cabin I called home for three years. The Internet also offers many opportunities for earning money remotely.
Another issue is debt: Steer completely clear of it. Save up the money you need to buy your land outright, buy a used pickup truck and keep it going yourself as much as you possibly can. Your first job on the land should be to set up some small, basic but comfortable yearround accommodation.
Canada has many forgotten places perfect for self-reliant country living, and I’d love to see more energetic, idealistic people give rural life atry. Back when I was in your shoes, I chose the west end of Manitoulin Island for my big adventure, and there are still lots of lonely old farms waiting to be adopted here by the right kind of people. Steve Maxwell, syndicated home improvement and woodworking columnist, has shared his DIY tips, how-to videos and product reviews since 1988. Visit him at www.stevemaxwell.ca, Facebook at Canada’s Handiest Man or @Maxwells_tips on Twitter.