Cedar slat fence - nail staining

[Sams321]

Hi there,

Hope i've put this in the right category. I've just had some link removed western cedar slats put up in the corner of the garden. They have been nailed to a wooden frame. They have only been up a couple weeks and I have started noticing some black staining coming out of the nails on to the wood.
I've read online this is likely due to the quality of the metal nails used and type of wood (which is obviously too late to do anything about).

I was wondering if I put some clear gorilla glue over the nails (which is waterproof/temperature proof and works for both wood and metal) it would create a seal and stop the metal stain running down the wood?

I've managed to experiment with 'barkeepers friend' cleaning product and can for now remove the initial staining, but don't want to have to keep cleaning the fence every two weeks!

Any thoughts on the glue question or alternative solutions would be very appreciated.

Thanks!

Sam

 

[JohnD]

what sort of nails did you use?

have you oiled the slats?

 

[Sams321]

Response below (pressed submit to early on this post and can't delete)

 

[Sams321]

what sort of nails did you use?

I have attached an image of the nails used

have you oiled the slats?

I have just oiled them today. Had done half of them, but didn't get a chance to finish (in fairness the staining is worse on the un-oiled ones, which is a good sign?)

 

[JohnD]

oh dear

they look like bright steel, and will rust from the first damp night onwards.

oil will slightly reduce moisture entry

 

[Sams321]

Do I have any options? (glue/woodfiller over the top or even remove them and re-do?)

 

[JohnD]

cedar is a light colour so the rust stains will show. the pins will also rust away to nothing

I have some wooden external cladding, and I used brass csk screws. More expensive but do not corrode. I also used a dark wood dye and linseed oil for protection (outdoor wood is prone to staining so a dark colour hides it) brass tarnishes and is not obstrusive to the eye

you can also use stainless screws or nails. screws usually cost more. the bright metal may be noticeable.

do you think you can prise the slats off without splintering them? it will get more difficult once the pins have rusted into place.

 

[Sams321]

do you think you can prise the slats off without splintering them? it will get more difficult once the pins have rusted into place.

If I can get them off and remove the existing nails, will it stop the wood getting worse? i.e. as the old nails are no longer in the wood, they won't continue to darken from remnants of the old nail?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

they look like bright steel, and will rust from the first damp night onwards.

That and the acidic nature of cedar which tends to rust even galvanised steel nails (cedar contains tannin, which when combined with atmospheric moisture, e.g. rain, forms a mild tannic acid - and it's the annic acid which attacks zinc and steel, forming a permanent black iron oxide which acts like a dye). They only type of nails which you should use on cedar (and for that matter larch) cladding is stainless. As for oiling it, though - works for a while but over time cedar will still go silver-grey