Graying of Ayous
Like other wood species, ayous will also turn grey over time. Due to weather influences such as wind, rain, and sunlight, the wood changes to a beautiful silver-grey tone. With ayous, this process happens relatively quickly. On the south-facing side of a façade exposed to full sun, it can be completely greyed within just a few weeks. If an entire house is clad with ayous, it will generally turn fully grey within a few months.
Below, you see two pieces of ayous: one kept indoors and the other placed outside for 12 weeks, exposed to all weather conditions. This clearly shows how the wood naturally turns grey. The grain and natural pattern of the wood remain beautifully visible.
Graying of Ayous after 1 week
Graying of Ayous after 13 weeks
Even graying; pay attention to overhangs, balconies, and ceilings
Under overhanging sections of the façade, the wood will grey significantly more slowly or not at all. Where the sun does not shine, the wood will not discolour in the same way.
For example, if you install it on the ceiling of an extension or canopy, the untreated brown colour of the wood will remain.
If there is a balcony or roof overhang, the façade directly beneath it will not grey, resulting in colour differences between these areas and the rest of the façade. To prevent this, the choice for wooden façade cladding should already be carefully considered during the design phase.
How quickly does Ayous turn grey?
The speed at which it turns grey strongly depends on the conditions. The wind direction the façade is facing plays a major role; the north side will turn grey significantly more slowly than the south side. As explained above, an overhang will also slow down the graying of the wood or even prevent it completely.
Treatment of Ayous wood?
If you wish to treat Ayous façade cladding, you have 3 options:
Pre-graying Ayous: Treat the wood with a semi-transparent grey stain or oil so the façade already has an even grey appearance. In principle, this mimics the natural graying process and is particularly suitable for façades with many overhangs.
Preserving the Ayous colour: If you want to maintain the original colour, the wood should be treated with an oil or a stain.