need ideas for non toxic finishes for pine board and batten siding on our home

After spending five years 'considering' what to do about the badly chipped layers of old paint (the base coat contained lead) on our built in 1950  home we decided on pine board and batten.  We are fortunate that our youngest son has a bandsaw mill and was able to cut beautiful wide pine boards for us and that we could afford to hire an experienced local crew to do the work.  

I've attached a few pictures...hard to photograph while the leaves are still on things and my 'landscaping' leans towards jungle.

We've begun spraying with a borax solution but have not settled on an anything that might provide a little weather resistance.

We know it will weather naturally to a nice gray but if possible, I'd like to keep it more like it is now so I'm looking for ideas?

We don't want to add to the toxicity of what I call the 'lead zone' right around the house where paint has been falling for decades.

I got some ideas at https://www.realmilkpaint.com/  They have the type of finishes we would like as far as toxicity goes.  
I have always loved the idea of milk paint/white wash...not sure that's what we want now though? and the tung oil/pine oil/zinc sounds interesting just on it's own?

This is a new area for us both as always in the past things were allowed to weather and settle in on their own and if we used an oil it was usually linseed oil.

Once we have a freeze I'll clean the hops and passion flower off of the porch and take some cuttings from the fig.....better pictures then.

There were two batches of lumber, the first had been sitting for a few years, those used on the back were more recently cut and hopefully will weather a bit before finishes......

Gorgeous

R Scott wrote:Gorgeous

Thanks R Scott!
We are even happier with it than we expected to be.

We are on the edge of a small rural town with many old homes that are past repair so we were happy (as was the neighborhood) to rescue this one.  

Judith, it looks really nice. With the metal roof and the wood siding, it doesn't look like the 1950s.

I love the wood look so if the house were mine I would want to find some sort of finish.

I am looking forward to seeing what you decided to do.

Anne Miller wrote:Judith, it looks really nice. With the metal roof and the wood siding, it doesn't look like the 1950s.

I love the wood look so if the house were mine I would want to find some sort of finish.

I am looking forward to seeing what you decided to do.

Thanks Anne!

We did the roof soon after moving in...it covers two layers of old black shingles.  The metal roof was important to us so we could collect rain water.

The house is one of the few here that actually has a block foundation instead of just pillars and was built with locally milled lumber and has vents for under the house air flow.  It was built before plumbing came to town though so has a very small crawl space...our plumbers exwife had to come along to do the work under the house when we replaced the old pipes from plumbing in the seventies.

The main part of the house was originally two big rooms and have nine foot ceilings and low windows so designed for some air flow for Arkansas summers.  The back addition was done in the seventies and included a porch that had eyescrews and line for drying clothes under a roof...perfect for us!

The car port was added later I think? Steve has closed in half of it for a shop.

The house sounds like it was well built.

I love our metal roof.

It is hard to beleive that people did not have plumbing or electricity in the 1950s.  I know it's true because when we lived in Dallas I rode the bus and would hear people talking about growing up without those.

Has anyone used this https://www.realmilkpaint.com/shop/oils/outdoor-defense/ on outdoor pine board and batten?
I like the company and what they have for sale...it will be a big investment though.

This exterior oil is made with 100% Pure Tung Oil, Pine Oil, and Zinc. Use it as a raised garden bed, deck, fencing, or pergola wood finish. Also works well on concrete, stone or any absorbent material for exterior finishing. Keep the natural look of your wood while protecting it from the elements with this oil treatment.  

Outdoor Defense Oil is a great Non-Toxic and high-quality way to finish – or refinish – your outdoor projects. It’s made with 100% Pure Tung Oil, Pine Oil, and Zinc. We all know about Zinc in sunburn skincare products. The zinc helps to prevent mold and mildew while also offering UV protection. Use as an outdoor wood finish to protect the beautiful wood grain or on concrete, stone, and any absorbent material. This also works great as a cedar garden bed oil and it provides decking protection.  Generally, 2 to 4 coats give moderate protection. More coats only if the wood will accept it. The Outdoor Defense Oil does not build up on the surface but absorbs deep into the wood pores. This leaves a natural texture to the wood surface. Will provide a matte finish. Do not apply directly under the hot sun, as the oil will polymerize very fast and leave a frosty, rubbery surface. It does not need to be thinned with a solvent . Ready to be used right from the bottle! Hang rags outside separately to dry before disposing of.

We've been reading and have asked the company a couple questions....if it spreads as far as they say it will be possible for us to afford.

We could do nothing and just continue to spray the siding with the borax solution but really want to retain color and protect the wood for as long as possible.

Judith Browning wrote:
We don't want to add to the toxicity of what I call the 'lead zone' right around the house where paint has been falling for decades.

Shellac is all natural and non toxic.  It is safe enough it is recommended for wooden children's toys, and cutting boards.  It will leave a natural or 'organic' looking finish as it ages.  

Jack Edmondson wrote:

Judith Browning wrote:
We don't want to add to the toxicity of what I call the 'lead zone' right around the house where paint has been falling for decades.

Shellac is all natural and non toxic.  It is safe enough it is recommended for wooden children's toys, and cutting boards.  It will leave a natural or 'organic' looking finish as it ages.  

Thanks Jack!
I love shellac although I think it's not an exterior finish?

Judith Browning wrote:
I love shellac although I think it's not an exterior finish?

You are correct.  in the wee hours the brain cells still working jumped from Shellac to Spar Varnish without signaling.  Carry on.

I'm adding a few more pictures of our pine siding and now the cedar fence our grandson has been working on for us.

Snows gone now and today it's in the sixties but we had some real winter weather for more than a week and got our next year's Christmas card photo

The fence isn't done...our son with the bandsaw mill is waiting on some cedar logs to cut more boards to finish it.  
It is mostly to keep the town dogs out who seem to like pooping in our yard...so the very bottom board is almost on the ground and might add one more so there will be five boards total...the far end has welded wire as a temporary fence until more boards are cut.

The sidewalk pergola will have trellis sides and a more complete top before I can plant my climbing roses there.

The huge take a way from this is that because we hesitated to paint, researched and studied on it, and hesitated some more...a whole different opportunity presented itself that we had not been considering...the board and batten solved the issue of having to scrape and paint and then likely repaint.  We feel good about encapsulating the old paint and about using all of the new materials.  

Once warm dry weather is here we plan to coat all with two coats of a tung oil/pine oil and zinc mix to protect somewhat.

Use Lifetime Home Treatment, www.valhalco.com made in Canada by ValhallaWood Preservatives Ltd, environmentally friendly, inexpensive and will give protection and gray your wood  to olive brown and velvety silver in one application. Harmless to everyone and everything. Apply to bare untreated wood.
Used in all Parks Canada.

I use natural tung oil diluted with mineral spirits. Not the tung oil you see at the big box stores. If I want color I tint with natural pigments. I  get  it from jedwards International. It soaks in very good, is uv resistant and doesn't have a bad smell. Has worked great for many years