Wood Protector: What Does It Do and Why Use It?

Wood protector treatments are applied to wooden items to protect it from insects, rot and the natural elements. It holds a range of benefits and keeps your wood looking tip-to all year round. Our blog covers an in depth explanation of wood protectors, other treatments and how you can use them to keep your wood looking its best. To find out more, keep on reading!

Wood Treatments: What’s The Difference?

Wood protector is just one of many wood treatments available. Each of these treatments helps your wood in a unique way. Read below to discover what each of these wood products do and why you should consider using them.

Wood Protector

Wood protector treatments are generally used to protect your wood from the elements. This includes rainy and windy conditions, UV rays and sun bleaching. Wood protectors are especially useful in enhancing the lifespan and appearance of your outdoor wood.

Wood protectors are typically used on pre-treated timbers, unlike wood preservatives. These are timber products that have already been through a preservative process, and a wood protector is then applied to enhance these preservatives.

Wood Preserver

Wood preservers may seem pretty similar to wood protectors, but there are slight differences. As we’ve already mentioned, wood protectors are typically applied to pre-treated timbers, whereas wood preservers can be added to any outdoor wood.

Preservative treatments also protect your wood against the elements, but mainly from rot, decay, fungi and insects. Wood preservatives often permeate the wood at a deeper level, providing a more thorough level of protection.

Wood Stain

Wood stains are treatments that affect the colour of your wood. Pigments and dyes in the stain solution can alter the colour of your wood, or enhance its natural beauty. This kind of treatment has more aesthetic value and generally doesn’t protect your wood, however you can find some wood stains that have protective properties.

You can use wood stains on both indoor and outdoor furniture items, but be sure to use the correct stain for your wood type, otherwise the stain may not be effective.

Wood Finish

Unlike a wood stain, a wood finish doesn’t alter the colour of your wood. It does, however, provide a protective layer that also enhances your wood’s natural aesthetic.

Typically, a wood finish should be added to outdoor wood to properly protect it from the elements. Tung oil and linseed oil are great wood finishes to use on your exterior wood, providing a penetrating layer of protection. Wood finishes should be the final treatment applied to your wood, providing a tough, water resistant seal.

Can I Combine Different Wood Treatments?

In a simple answer, yes! You can combine wood treatments to give your wood the protection it needs. You should always check the label of your protector product to make sure you can apply other treatments.

Some treatments are oil based and others are water based, so always check that the products you are using will sit well with each other, otherwise they may be ineffective. Your product should also tell you on the label whether it is an under coat or a top coat, and this will tell you when to apply it with regards to other treatment products.

Applications Of Wood Treatments

You may be wondering where wood treatments are applied, and they can be used by a range of different people:

Homeowners - People with wooden fencing, sheds, decking and other wooden furniture in their gardens may want to use wood treatments to keep their items healthier for longer.

Construction businesses - Professional construction industries may use wood treatments for decking or other landscaping projects to keep the wood protected. Applying these treatments from the very beginning can help to prevent issues from cropping up so soon.

Garden enthusiasts - Individuals with wooden items may want to prevent decay and keep a beautiful garden. This may rely on wood protection and care to keep items healthy and strong.

Other Businesses - Restaurants, cafes, hotels and other businesses that have wooden structures outside will require proper maintenance and care to keep the wood looking its best. Having worn down or damaged wood at the front of a business can be unappealing.

Benefits Of Applying Wood Protector

Using a wood protector on your interior and exterior furniture items holds a wide range of benefits that can help your wood to stay healthier for longer. Read below to find out more.

Water Resistance

Water repelling agents are often used in wood protective treatments, creating a protective barrier that water cannot permeate. Water absorption in wooden items can lead to warping, mould, swelling and even decay. Moisture can easily find its way into your exterior wood, from rainy weather to plants and animals. Using these treatments prevents the moisture from doing more serious damage.

UV Protective Finish

While we may not perceive sunlight to be a threat, UV rays can actually damage your wood if it isn’t properly protected. Sun bleaching can alter the colour of your wood, causing it to fade and over time, UV rays can start to deteriorate the fibres of your wood.

It should be noted that UV oils from Treatex should not be used for horizontal applications such as decking as this may be ineffective.

Mould

Mould and mildew can be seriously harmful to your wood. Mould thrives in damp and humid conditions, so if your exterior wood is holding a lot of moisture, there is a chance that mould will begin to grow there. Mould will gradually eat away at your wood, causing the structure to break down, fall apart and not be safe.

By using treatments that have water repelling agents, your wood stays dry on the inside, preventing the likelihood of mould from growing.

Insects

Insects can often inhabit pieces of wood and other organic materials like branches and leaves. Depending on the conditions, termites and some types of beetle could infest your exterior wooden items, putting them at risk. If left unchecked, these insects can eat away at the wood until there is nothing left, or leave the structure hollow and weak.

You can find insect repellent products that are designed for wooden items and some protective products contain insect repellent already. Using these products is useful in preventing insects from inhabiting your wood and causing damage to it.

Aesthetics

Increasing your wood’s aesthetic value isn’t essential to everyone, but having furniture that looks healthy can improve your home’s appeal. If you’re thinking about selling your home at any point in the future, taking care of your wooden structures can improve curb appeal and be an attractive asset to your potential buyers.

Longer Lifespan

Using protective measures to save your wood from the elements will naturally increase its lifespan. By properly maintaining it and regularly applying these treatments, your wood can stay healthier for longer. This can be extremely useful for your outdoor furniture, as it is exposed to the elements and at risk of more damage.

Reduced Repairs

Replacing decking, sheds and other outdoor wooden structures can be expensive. Applying wood treatments to your furniture is the best way to avoid these costly repairs and have peace of mind. Here in the UK, the weather subjects us to a lot of rain, wind and some scorching summers. Protective treatments provide year round care for your wood, keeping it healthy and strong.

Treatex: From Timber Protector To UV Oil

Here at Treatex we offer a wide range of wood protection and other treatments. We want to help you keep your wood strong and healthy, which is why we offer a wide range of Treatex exterior oils and more. With a wide selection of preservative and aesthetic treatments, we accommodate a wide range of customers.

To learn more about what we do or how we can help you, head to our website to browse our range. Alternatively, you can contact us today to speak directly to our team!