Wooden houses need ecofriendly maintenance and protection

Wood intended for outdoor use must be protected against UV radiation, water and living enemies.

Ultra-violet (UV) radiation

UV radiation is particularly damaging to the natural sizing agents in wood, which help “stick” the fibres together.

Breaking down these agents destroys the surface. This is why clear lacquers, through which UV-radiation passes easily,

provide less protection than opaque topcoats.

Atmospheric Moisture

Water is normally the main cause of wood rot and damage to outdoor joinery. This is partly due to:

Hygroscopic changes

Paints and lacquers adhering less efficiently to moist surfaces

The migration of moisture through the wood itself.

Water being essential to wood rot and fungus development.

Living enemies of wood

All timbers should be pre-treated with a quality preservative and sufficient time must be allowed for solvent evaporation prior to coating.

Preservatives help protect wood from:

Wood boring insects such as Common Furniture Beetle, Death Watch Beetle, Wood-boring Weevil, House Longhorn Beetle and Termites.

Fungi such as cellar fungus, pore fungus and dry rot

Wood Rot and Mould

Where wood rot and mould flourish, the following five conditions must coexist:

1. The wood has a consistent moisture content above 20%

2. Temperature is between 5°C and 40°C

3. The wood is infected with spores

4. There are nutrients for the wood rot

5. There is access to oxygen

If any of these conditions are eliminated, wood rot cannot arise. It is practically impossible to eliminate factors 2-5, so attention must focus on the first factor. This can be achieved in several ways:

Choosing the right sort of timber.

Correct window/door design.

Chemical treatment of the wood (using a preservative).

Appropriate surface treatment, based on proven products and techniques.

Correct assembly in the intended application environment.

Correctly performed maintenance

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