The right treatment for your timber gates

Here in the UK, the weather is ever-changing, from the sun to rain to snow, and back again, sometimes all in the space of the day. That means that we need to ensure that we use the right treatment on our timber gates, enabling you to increase their lifespan and get the most for your money.

What Is The Difference Between Wood Stain And Wood Paint?

When looking around for treatment for your wooden gates you might have seen both stain and paint, but are you sure of the difference?
Wood stain boasts a much thinner consistency than its alternatives. This allows it to sink into the wood rather than creating a layer over the top. Stain allows you to treat your wood while maintaining the stunning grain that each piece of wood boasts.
Paint has a much thicker and dense consistency than stain, which means that it entirely covers the surface of the wood. So if you are looking for something to completely change the colour and appearance of your gates opting for wood paint would be ideal for you.

Treating Your Gates

Softwood gates
If you have requested softwood gates it is important to know that these gates will need treating with a form of preserve before any other form of painting to ensure that they are effectively sealed. Ideally, this will be with a water-resistance and mould protection treatment.
If your softwood gates are left exposed to the elements before they are treated, they may already have begun to warp, or the water that they have retained could turn into mould, and inevitably cause them to prematurely rot.

Hardwood gates
Hardwood gates are significantly more durable than their alternative. This means that they can be left open to the elements and still stand the test of time. However, this will give your gates a more weathered appearance. So if you are more interested in maintaining their look, you are still better off treating them. You can still use the stain, to help maintain their classic beauty, or paint to give them a specific appearance.

Wood Stain
Also known as wood preserve, wood stain is essential on your softwood gates, but also gives your hardwood gates a stunning appeal. There are a number of great benefits that wood stain offers:

• It has a more natural look than paint.
• It requires less maintenance. The best quality wood preserves penetrate the wood, rather than sitting on top of it like paint.
• It’s available in a range of different coloured stains, so you can create your own unique look.
• For hardwood and pressure treated softwood gates, oil is an excellent alternative to wood preserve. It’s easier to apply and helps reduce the amount of water that can penetrate the wood, preventing rot and improving longevity.

Paint
Painting your timber gates not only changes the colour but can also change the whole look. As an alternative to wood stain, painting your gates also has a number of benefits:

• Offers protection from the elements
• Available in a wide variety of colours

However, before painting your gates, coating them in preserve can stop the paint soaking into the wood and offers more protection. It will also require more upkeep to have a continuing good finish.

Finding the right treatment for your gates can sometimes be a bit of a minefield. Speak to our expert team when they are fitting your gates and they will be able to offer guidance to suit your gates. You can also contact our team today.