How do I repair my weathered oak garden furniture?

I bought some beautiful chucky oak garden furniture last year, however it was left untreated through some harsh weather conditions. Now it is cracked, splitting, and very discoloured on the exposed sides.





The colour of the wood has completely changed, and I would like to restore the wood to it's natural colour as much as possible. I don't really want to varnish or coat the wood. As i know absolutely nothing about wood care, I was wondering if someone could tell me step by step exactly what i need to do to sort it out!! Is it best to sand it down and then use a wood oil? Will this help restore colour or will the discolouration run deep?





I'm not afraid of hard work - not looking for an easy way out!





Thanks!

How do I repair my weathered oak garden furniture?
Nicky,





A lot depends upon where you live. Where we live (near Seattle) we have to treat our wood products with water staving treatments, and protect against mold. People in AZ have to prevent drying.





I'd recommend going to a place like Lowe's or Home Depot and talk to an 'expert' who knows oak, and products for your area.


You'll want to avoid linseed oil based products if you can, so look for stuff with cedar or tung oil.





"Ranger"