patchy patio post

I ordered 140mm kwila posts for my new patio. They are patchy as per the picture. With some segments many shades darker
I said i wasn't happy and the patio installer forwarded me the response from the supplier.

"This is a kwila laminated post, which is made from many components of kwila, it is made to Australian Standards and has a 20 year warranty for delaminating and splitting. This is how they come. I suggest that the posts are sealed with a clear coat or prepared and be painted to the colour of their choice.

Also if the posts are left to weather for a few weeks, you will find the colour will unify. But all kwila laminated posts are made up from many different components."

I don't think weathering will make much difference and the patchy parts aren't facing the sun anyway. Clear coating them won't change the patchiness. A little bit of variation I can cope with but this is such an obvious shade difference. Also my contract doesn't say laminated pays anyway.

Does anyone have any advice?
 

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The material is finger jointed from several pieces of unrelated timber. You've got one option (maybe two).

1) Paint it - covers all sins
2) Let it weather - it will turn grey but 50 shades of grey. It is an amalgam of timbers so no two pieces will be similar let alone alike. You could bleach it but the light bits will go lighter so will the dark bits but they will still be different.

Spec sheet for kwila or merbau
 
thanks Scott for the advice if I had wanted to paint it then I would have just ordered a powder coated metal post (actually cheaper) point was to get a nice timber posts as a feature.
Will staining it make any difference? I actually am going to put my foot down with the patio company because I think they should have done a much better quality control on the post I think it's up to them to resolve this issue would they really put my photograph on their website? Variation is one thing but this sticks out like a sore thumb due to the extreme contrast.
 
Looks good. In a month, you won't even notice it. And anybody who visits will not even see it.

Read the spec sheet on what the installer quoted. That's the first place to see if they quoted anything else other than the laminated post. If they did then dig in, if not, it's caveat emptor!
 
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