The wood we use.
We use a number of different types of wood like spruce, pine and fir, all of which are kiln-dried for increased stability. The wood has been tanalised or pressure treated that will make it more resistant to rot, fungus, mould, and insects, as well as hardier in extreme weather conditions.
How Do You Treat Tanalised Wood?
You do not have to treat tanalised wood, though it is recommended for a couple of reasons. Firstly, your timber will last longer if you choose to do some maintenance. Secondly, tanalised or pressure treated wood tends to change colour over time. If you wish to avoid wood turning grey as it ages, then treating it will help.
It’s recommended that you treat your timber with a tanalised timber treatment that you can buy at most DIY stores. This treatment simply paints on over the wood and is simple to use. For the first year of ownership, you shouldn’t need to do anything. After that, an annual coat of treatment will keep your timber looking good and mean that you get much more wear out of it.
How Soon Can You Stain Pressure Treated Wood?
There is a lot of debate about how long you should wait before staining pressure treated wood. In general, you’ll need to wait for the tanalith to oxidise and the wood to dry out. This means waiting for at least three days of dry weather (if timber is outside) to allow moisture to escape before painting stain on. There’s an easy test to see if your wood is dry enough to paint. Spill a little water on the surface. If that water soaks in you can go ahead and paint, if it beads on the surface you’ll need to wait longer.
There are exceptions to this rule though. If your timber has been kiln dried after being pressure treated you can stain it immediately (kiln dried wood should be clearly marked as such and will be more expensive than regular treated timber). If you’re looking to paint, then it’s really recommended that you wait for around six months without any other treatment, or that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using a treated wood preservative.
Can You Paint Tanalised Wood?
Absolutely! Painting tanalised wood not only makes your garden look great but also gives the timber an added layer of protection, which can only be a good thing. However, you do need to be careful when painting pressure treated timber.
You cannot paint freshly tanalised wood, since moisture in the timber will mean that the paint won’t stick properly. You’ll need to buy some pressure treated wood preservative and paint that on to seal the wood first. These preservatives do vary, so make sure to read the instructions. These instructions should tell you when it’s appropriate to paint on the preservative, how many coats you need, and how long you need to wait before applying paint.
What Type of Paint Should You Use on Pressure Treated Wood?
For best results, you should use a primer before painting. Look for a primer that’s for exterior use and that specifically states on the can that it can be used on pressure treated wood. Once the primer is dry you can technically use any kind of exterior paint that you’d like. Again though, for best results, we’d recommend a latex based paint. Oil-based paints do sometimes have trouble sticking to pressure treated wood, and a latex based paint job will simply last longer.
Does Pressure Treated Wood Need Painting/Staining?
No, not at all. You can safely leave your timber outside without any further treatment should you wish to. However, your timber will last longer if you choose to apply preservatives, treatments, stains and paint. And don’t forget, that wood is going to change colour over time without further intervention. Pressure treated wood is initially green, but this will fade to honey blond, and then a silvery grey colour. If you wish to stop this colour change process, painting or staining your wood is essential.
