Treating Fence with Hydraulic Oil

[ShantyBranch]

Installed a dog earred cypress fence about 7 years ago. Has held up very well. But over time and greyed and mildewed somewhat. I was told to restore and preserve its' look I could pressure wash and coat with tractor hydraulic fluid.
Wondering if anybody had used this method before and could offer any advice.

Thanks

 

[beenthere]

Get rid of the grey from mold and mildew with a solution of bleach/water mix (1:5), spraying it on, and either leaving it or rinsing it off with water.
Pressure washer will blast and tear up the wood.

Don't believe the hyd oil will do a thing for you, other than get rid of the oil.

Spraying on a mildewcide will keep the fence looking good.

 

[heehaw]

i've seen a mixture of diesel and used motor oil used on a fence, and it sure seemed to work well...
heehaw

 

[turnkey4099]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Get rid of the grey from mold and mildew with a solution of bleach/water mix (1:5), spraying it on, and either leaving it or rinsing it off with water.
Pressure washer will blast and tear up the wood.

Don't believe the hyd oil will do a thing for you, other than get rid of the oil.

Spraying on a mildewcide will keep the fence looking good. )</font>

Well it will do a good job getting rid of the excess money you have laying around.

Harry K

 

[1bush2hog]

Why don't you just pressure wash it and use a commercially available and hopefully more environmentally friendly treatment?

 

[techman]

I would be careful. Hydraulic oil is a mineral (or sometimes synthetic for the real pricey stuff), and is considered hazardous waste if it gets on the ground. Used to coat wood would allow some of it to be washed off and get into the ground. The EPA as well as state authorities take a dim view of that happening.

I would stick to wood preserving products that are safe for the environment. Dispose of your hydraulic fluid through a reputable recycler.

paul

 

[Motoren]

Hydraulic fluid has been used to preserve wood for 80 years.

 

[RalphVa]

Installed a dog earred cypress fence about 7 years ago. Has held up very well. But over time and greyed and mildewed somewhat. I was told to restore and preserve its' look I could pressure wash and coat with tractor hydraulic fluid.
Wondering if anybody had used this method before and could offer any advice.

Thanks

Haven't done it, but good use for used oil. Could use even used hydraulic oil or engine oil. The engine oil would have a bunch more additives to maybe worry over, but hydraulic oil would have little to bother anything.

 

[5030]

Somehow I don't believe the EPA has the time to come sniff your fence posts....lol

 

[rademamj1]

Hydraulic oil is simply a light oil and is non-toxic in its original factory condition. It's easily broken down and consumed by natural bacteria in a few years. Any usage on fence posts will only provide short term benifits.

Used Hydraulic oil is radically different, because running in a tractor at high temperatures and pressures does alter its oil chemistry. It's why we need to change the Hydraulic fluid every couple hundred hours. It becomes environmentally toxic over time, and should be recycled. It's the acids in the used hydro oil that makes it toxic and therefore useful for treating fence posts. No bacteria or molds will touch it.