When you have invested in hardwood gates for your driveway or garden, it is important to know the best maintenance methods to keep them looking brand new.
Gates manufactured using hardwood timbers are easier to look after as you don’t need to work to preserve the timber. The nature of hardwood means the material looks after itself, and unlike softwoods, you don’t need to protect the timber.
Hardwood timbers can fade in colour over time, turning a silvery grey colour. As hardwood timber experts, BK Timber knows all about fencing and gate maintenance and we would recommend staining or oiling your gate with a suitable product. If you are unsure which product to use for this, ask our team of specialists before starting this task.
Once you have decided on the appropriate product to oil your gates, here are nine steps to maintaining the quality of your hardwood gates –
1. Make sure you have chosen the right colour before you start, by trying it on scrap wood first.
2. For spirit-based stain use a natural brush, remember not to skimp on quality as you will spend your time removing loose bristles.
3. Lean your gates against a wall while treating them to make it easier.
4. Treat both sides without allowing each side to dry in-between coats as oiling one side of a gate and leaving it to dry puts your gate at increased risk of twisting or warping. This happens because you have created unequal surface tension within the timber plus the unpainted side will try and absorb moisture which causes movement within the timber.
5. Stain the timber in the same direction as the grain.
6. The end grain of timbers are most susceptible to sucking in water so ensure they are coated.
7. Paint the bottom of your gate too, as untreated timber will suck up moisture. Modern treatments will allow the wood to breathe.
8. Look out for any drips or runs and brush them out.
9. Once the first side is treated, spin it around and use a small piece of wood between it and the wall, which stops the treated side from getting marked.
Don’t forget that wood is a natural product that can be affected by weather conditions. You may discover your gates shrink or swell with the weather with cracks appearing along the wood. This is to be expected with gates and is part of the character of the timber.
If you need any more advice regarding the maintenance of hardwood gates, please contact BK Timber today.
