Timber & Treatment

Durability

The timber used is IROKO, a strong and stable timber with a very high natural durability against rot and insect attack.

The timber is grown in West Africa and is purchased from an importer who ensures that the timber is only sourced from legally felled, responsibly managed forests.

Click here for our timber supplier’s website for more information.

Please be aware that Iroko can vary in colour from a light yellow to dark brown even in the same piece of timber.

Treatment of benches: Treat or leave untreated?

In order to maximise the life of the bench we do recommend that the bench is treated. A bench that has been treated and maintained will have a longer service life than a bench that is not maintained.

The main advantage of “treating” the bench is that the timber is sealed and this reduces the rate at which the timber loses and absorbs moisture during the summer and winter.

This reduces the surface cracking that will occur, particularly in the end grain sections.

By treating the bench you will be replacing some of the natural oils and minerals that have evaporated preserving a beautiful rich finish enhancing the look of the wood.

If you prefer to leave the bench untreated, it will naturally weather to an attractive silver grey colour. As part of this weathering process small cracks may appear especially on the end grain and to a lesser extent on the surface. This is a normal process and will not effect the durability of the benches.

We recommend that if you are unable or unwilling to continue with the treatment then it is better to take delivery of the bench in it’s natural state and allow the bench to silver naturally and evenly.

Water Based Treatment

We offer a treatment service applying 3 coats of low build water based stain by hand. We have tested this product (and many others) and to date have found it to give a good performance.

Please be aware that the bench will need a new coat to be applied after some months as the sun has a strong bleaching action. We thus strongly recommend that if you specify the bench to be treated with the “Iroko Protector” that you purchase a container of the treatment at the same time as taking delivery of the bench, in order to retreat the bench yourself; with all finishes it is better to retreat early rather than later.

Whilst we take great care when we apply the finish we can give no guarantee of durability.

Our Timber Treatment factsheet can be dowloaded here.

For a quotation please contact us via our enquiry page, email or ring us on 01993 881464