Caring for Your Garden Furniture

We offer two distinct ranges of beautiful, eco-friendly garden furniture, each with its own care requirements to ensure lasting enjoyment. All our timber is sourced responsibly from FSC-certified Scandinavian forests, where sustainable practices ensure the long-term health of the woodland. Being handmade from natural wood, you may notice unique characteristics such as knots and variations in grain, as well as minor cracks or splits that can appear and disappear with changes in weather. These are natural occurrences and do not affect the structural integrity of your furniture. We take care to minimise splinters and rough edges, but some may remain.

Our Product Ranges:

• Tanalised Range (Pressure Treated): This range undergoes a deep pressure treatment process, providing exceptional protection against rot and decay for up to 20 years. This significantly extends the lifespan of your furniture compared to many standard garden pieces. While this treatment offers excellent initial protection, periodic application of a furniture oil can help moisturise the wood and slow down the natural aging process. For sheds and summerhouses in this range, we recommend applying a waterproofing product to the exterior if you wish to keep the interior dry, as wood is naturally porous.

• Valley - Golden Oak Range (Base Treated): This range features a one-coat base treatment with antifungal, anti-mould, and UV protection. To best protect and prolong the life of your Valley furniture, we strongly recommend applying a suitable oil-based wood protector or preservative soon after delivery and then annually. We offer our own 'Rhino Oil' in a Golden Oak tint to maintain the original colour, or in a clear option.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to treat my Valley product immediately?

Yes, to help protect and extend the life of your furniture, we recommend applying a good quality oil-based wood protector or preservative as soon as possible after delivery, and then annually to maintain its longevity. We stock our 'Rhino Oil', available in the Valley Golden Oak tint to enhance and maintain the colour, or a clear option.

Do I need to treat my tanalised product immediately?

Not urgently. The pressure treatment provides excellent initial protection against rot. Some customers choose to leave their tanalised furniture untreated to allow it to weather naturally to a silver-grey. However, we recommend applying a furniture oil periodically to help moisturise the wood and slow down the aging process.

For tanalised sheds and summerhouses, we advise using a waterproofing product on the exterior if you want to prevent dampness or water from entering. While the tanalising protects the wood's structure, wood is naturally porous.

What will happen if I don't treat my base-treated (Valley) product?

Without further treatment, the wood will gradually fade in colour over time, potentially turning a light or darker grey in different areas. Regular oiling will help maintain its appearance and offer continued protection.

What happens if I don't add further treatment to my tanalised product?

The wood will naturally weather, typically fading to a light grey or silver colour, or sometimes a darker grey in patches. Occasionally, some areas might develop a blackish hue. The speed and appearance of this weathering can vary depending on factors like location, weather exposure, sunlight, and natural wood variations. The pressure treatment will still protect against rot.

What does pressure treatment (tanalising) do?

Pressure treatment is a highly effective method that forces a protective solution deep into the wood's grain. This provides long-lasting protection against rot and decay, giving your furniture the best possible pre-treatment for an extended lifespan.

Why are there splits and cracks appearing in my furniture?

Wood is a natural material that reacts to changes in temperature and weather conditions. Some splitting, warping, cracking, or movement is normal for outdoor wooden furniture. These are natural characteristics and do not compromise the structural integrity of your product. Garden furniture is designed to withstand the outdoors for years, so some weathering is to be expected.

If water gets into the splits, will it damage the wood?

If the wood hadn't been pressure treated, water ingress into cracks could allow microorganisms to thrive, potentially softening and damaging the timber. However, your pressure-treated product benefits from a copper phosphate treatment (Tanalith-E or Tanatone) that is forced deep into the wood. This treatment prevents microorganisms from attacking the timber. Therefore, while splits and cracks may appear with weather changes, they will not lead to rot or structural damage in your pressure-treated furniture.

What is considered normal for wooden garden furniture?

The appearance of knots, variations in grain, and minor cracks or splits that appear and disappear with the seasons are perfectly normal characteristics of wooden garden furniture and will not affect its structural integrity or longevity. If you have any concerns, applying your own suitable aftercare treatment can provide added peace of mind.