It’s coming up to the sunny outdoor season; when daffodils bloom and our gardens are far more active and attractive. However, no one wants rotten, tired-looking sheds, wooden driveway gates or decking spoiling their view and bringing the mood down. Your woodwork not only deserves a little TLC this summer, but it also needs it! That’s why we’re giving you this helpful guide on how to treat your timber – keeping it preserved and looking as good as new.

Why choose wooden features?

Wooden features in your garden and driveway can not only act as garden decoration, but they can also add privacy and security too. For example, wooden fences can keep unwanted animals out of your garden, whilst timber cladding can add sustainable insulation to your property. 

Plus, wooden features and decorations are perfect for those who love a rustic, natural-looking aesthetic for their outdoor spaces. Unpainted timber blends in seamlessly with the outside world to make your home fit in harmoniously with its natural surroundings. However, wooden features are also very versatile, as they can be treated and painted to suit any colour palette you use for your garden design. Therefore, even if you prefer contemporary styles over rustic ones, wood is still the perfect material for you. 

However, the wooden feature with the most benefits are wooden driveway gates – durable, sustainable, customisable and easy-to-repair… all whilst keep your home safe and secure! Driveway gates add much-needed privacy and security to your outdoor space, and they can also increase the value of your home. In particular, wooden driveway gates remain an extremely popular choice due to their classic, timeless appeal and their ability to suit a wide range of architectural styles. Plus, wooden gates age beautifully over time and are eco-friendly, making them a fantastic sustainable choice that you can enjoy for many years to come – as long as you set aside time to treat the wood!

When is the right time to treat wood?

Before you get out the tools, ask yourself ‘Is this the right time to be treating my woodwork?’. Wooden gates don’t need an excessive amount of TLC, and it’s best to only treat the wood if it actually needs it. But how do you know when this is? If you’re not sure of the answer, consider going through and asking yourself the following questions:

When was the last time you treated it?

Wood typically needs to be treated every 12–18 months. However, this usually only refers to hardwoods, whereas softwoods like cedar, pine and fir could need to be treated as often as every 6 months. 

How does the wood look?

Your woodwork will tell you when it needs to be treated. Tell-tale signs can look like:

• The wood’s colour has faded
• The wood is dry or brittle to touch 
• There are cracks, splits or warps in the wood 
• The surface of the wood is flaking or peeling 

What is the weather like?

No one likes to be out in the garden, in the cold and rain, doing anything – let alone treating timber. But did you know that your woodwork doesn’t like that weather either? The best weather is on a dry and sunny day, on completely dry woodwork – otherwise, the treatments may not fully soak into the timber. Plus, if you start treating wood on a damp day, you could end up sealing moisture into the wood, increasing the likelihood of wood rot and decay.

How to treat wood

Wood finishes can really add to your outdoor scenery and make for amazing garden decorations. And, not only is wood brilliant for garden aesthetics, but it’s simple and easy-to-use in construction and for DIY projects. 

However, it’s all in how you treat it. Being no stranger to the elements that impact your garden space, you need to make sure your timber is getting regular TLC to keep it preserved and looking its best. Here are the main methods you can use for treating wood:

1. Cleaning the wood

Cleaning your wood finishes is always the first step in keeping it its best. Keep it clean with regular washing, using soap or water, or invest in a jet washer for all-over garden use. Avoid using harsh chemicals that may break down the timber; normal soap and water with a cloth will be fine to get rid of any dirt or debris. However, you may find that a simple rinse or hose down will do just fine too.

2. Moisturising the wood with oils

If your timber is looking drier than usual, it may be lacking natural and essential oils through lack of treatment. Look after your timber by applying oils, such as linseed oil, Danish oil or mineral oil with either a cloth or brush to the dry surfaces. Apply the oil in thin, even coats, and wait for each layer to fully dry before reapplying for the best results. Oils are important for replacing lost essential oils in timber through weathering and for deeply nourishing to seal and protect timber from the inside out. 

Make sure to do your research and find the best oil for the type of wood you are working with, as some may require specific oils for optimal moisture retention. You can also choose a blend of oil and resin to improve the wood’s water-repellent properties, which means your wood will be protected for longer and you won’t need to treat it as often in future. Some wood oil formulations will also contain enhanced UV filters to protect your timber against sun damage (more on this later).

3. Sanding the wood

Sometimes, you may find that your wood finishes have lost their shape or smoothness – especially if they have completely dried out. After oiling your timber, you can sand it down to get a smooth finish, as oils can also act as lubricants when sanding. To do this, you just need to apply a little bit of pressure when sanding the oily surface and be sure to do so in the direction of the wood’s grain. Once you’re satisfied with a smooth finish, simply wipe the oil away with a clean cloth.

4. Wood UV protection

We all have to be careful when it comes to the sun’s UV rays, and the same can be said for the timber in our gardens. Together with oils and resin, enhanced UV filters can be applied to protect your wood from splitting, drying and further effects of sun damage.

5. Wood staining and dying

One of the best things about having timber features in your garden is its ability to match whatever outdoor style you want – thanks to staining and dying. 

Not only is staining perfect for adding rich colours to your wood, it’s actually a great protective treatment too, due to its formula which helps protect against weathering or active impacts (like with decking). With wood staining, timber surfaces are saturated with a pigmented and protective formula, making them resistant to blistering, cracking and peeling. You can choose from a range of colours, and there are also wood stains with wax-enriched formulas to improve water-repellent properties and add a non-slip finish, which is perfect for wooden decking.

With wood dying, the dye further penetrates the timber to get a deep, rich colour – without as many additional benefits. Make sure you recoat your timber with the wood stain or dye every two to three years to keep up the protection and ensure your garden looks as good as possible.

6. Wood preservers

Wood preservers apply similarly to oils, stains and dyes, but they are formulated to help protect your wood against wood rot and decay, as well as for weatherproofing and waterproofing the timber. 

Wood preservatives also put up a fight against algae growth, UV damage, mould, woodworm attacks, fading and natural impacts on wood. Preservatives get right into the timber to offer a deeper protection from within – simply with the application of a brush. They come in both coloured and clear options, should you also want a similar benefit of wood stains. Just make sure to apply generously with a high-quality brush to get the best coverage that soaks deeply into the timber.

7. Varnishing wood

Wood varnish is another treatment that you can use to protect and preserve your timber, which is particularly effective against UV rays and water penetration. Varnishing also helps with resistance to cracking, blistering and peeling, as it’s an added protective layer against weathering. For external wood frames, gates, fences, doors and windows, wood varnish is the ideal option for treating your timber. If you’ve already stained and treated the wood, a varnish can be the cherry on top to fully finish preserving your timber with matte, gloss, satin and rich-coloured finishes.

Before you get started, make sure you fill in any cracks with wood filler to create a smooth, even canvas. Once you’ve added wood filler where necessary, sand down the surface of the wood to get rid of any ridges. Then, you can apply your wood varnish with a brush to add rich colour and protection. 

8. Painting wood

To instantly renovate your gardens and driveways, and make the wood look almost brand new, a paint job will do the trick. However, wood paint can also offer protection against peeling, weathering and fading, when made with a protective and preservative formula. And when it comes to painting wood, the colour ranges are endless – from pastels to vibrant hues, matte, gloss and satin finishes, there is so much out there to help make your outdoor projects come alive. We recommend opting for non-drip paints with wax enrichment, so they’re friendly for both children and pets.

For the best finish, we would recommend applying two to three coats of paint to ensure the colour is completely even and opaque. Make sure each layer is dry before adding another one, otherwise you could end up with unsightly bubbles and clumps. If you’re worried about getting an even coat or your wooden gate or fence is very large, you can use a paint sprayer instead of a brush to make this job easier. 

4 main steps for treating wood

No matter which wood treatments you choose, there’s a set process you should follow when restoring wood and adding long-lasting protection against wood rot. Here are the four main steps you should take:

1. Prepare the surface

You can’t apply wood treatments on a damaged surface – you need to treat the underlying problems first, or you’re only delaying the inevitable structural damage. Wooden structures that are badly damaged by wood rot and decay may need to be replaced, but if there are only a few damaged areas, you can claw out the damp wood with tools and then fill in the gaps with wood filler.

Once the decay has been removed and gaps have been filled, you need to sand down the entire surface to remove old coatings and make it smooth and ready for treatment. This will help ensure that the wood is in the best condition possible before preserving treatments are added. Finally, clean the entire surface and wait for it to dry before proceeding.

2. Apply preservers

After you’ve sanded and cleaned your wood, you can apply your wood preservers. These protect the wood against future wood rot and decay, and they also help to weatherproof the wood to improve longevity. Applying wood preservers in addition to stains and paints will mean that the wood has multiple layers of protection. Being thorough at this stage will save you time on wood maintenance and repairs in the future.

3. Apply stains and paints

Next, you can apply your cosmetic coatings. A wood stain will add a natural, rich colour to your wood whilst also offering some additional protection against weathering, but if you want to match your wooden features to a specific colour palette, paint is ideal for customising them however you wish. Opt for wax-enriched formulas if you want a non-drip or non-slip finish, plus increased resistance to water.

4. Finish the wood

Finally, you can apply wood finishes to seal the surface against moisture and UV radiation. Finishes like wood oil or wood varnish offer different benefits; oils add much-needed moisture to the wood, and varnishes are ideal for resisting water penetration and cracking.

However, be aware that not all finishes and preserving treatments work together. For example, you can’t apply wood oil over varnished wood since varnish creates a plastic-like shell over the wood, preventing any oil from penetrating deep into it. Check online guides and manufacturers’ instructions before applying multiple substances to wooden surfaces.

If you’re looking to update your driveways and gardens, take a look at our driveway gate inspiration and bookmark this page on how to treat your timber to keep them maintained well. Speak to our team for more information.