Winter Woodcare

Cold weather can take its toll on the outdoor space, enveloping sheds, fences, front doors and furniture in snow and rain. Sadolin’s range of wood stains and Sandtex’s collection of outdoor paints offer long-lasting protection against the elements, ensuring all exterior items look fresh year after year.

Top tips on how to get the garden ready for winter

“When preparing and cleaning down wood we recommend using a p180/p240 grade sandpaper. Once sanded evenly, dust off and degrease the wood with methylated spirits using a clean, lint free cloth. This gives the protective coating the best possible chance to bond and perform on timber. For protective coatings to perform, they need to be of a certain thickness, hence why we recommend two to three coatings on initial application to build up the film depth. This ensures longevity of the system and that sufficient pigment is loaded to protect from harmful UV.

If bare timber is exposed, then it will not be protected over winter. Unwanted moisture will get into the timber, which will lead to accelerated wetting/drying of the wood resulting in twisting, warping and splitting. It also exposes the wood to unwanted mould or fungal growth; therefore it is imperative you do not spread the coatings too thin.

It’s also important not to forget the undersides of sills, tops and bottoms of exterior doors. These are particularly vulnerable areas for moisture to get in. End grains are 100 times thirstier than the face grain your usually decorate, so make sure coverage is total.”

Matthew Brown, Sadolin & Sandtex Technical Consultant

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