Joinery Maintenance

MAINTAINING YOUR CUSTOM-MADE JOINERY

Following installation

Our products are supplied in the white (bare timber), with preservative and/or primer, or fully finished to gloss coat, according to our individual customers’ requirements. External joinery, in particular, needs to be finished to final coat immediately following installation as failure to properly seal external timber products against the elements will render them vulnerable to fungal attack and rot and may invalidate the guarantee. It is essential in order to maintain the longevity of our products, that the following guidelines should be adhered to after the products have been delivered/fitted.

Products supplied in the white should be primed or stained immediately. Where products are supplied/fitted with a base coat stain or a paint primer it must be understood that these are in themselves not an adequate seal and it is recommended that the final finishes are applied well within the recommended three months, depending on the prevailing weather conditions and the season.

If your joinery is fitted with draught strip, your installer will have shown you how to remove and refit this in preparation for further coats of paint to be applied. It is essential that the final coat of paint is fully dried prior to the refitting of draught strip to ensure that it stays in place and its future efficiency is not compromised.

If paint finishes have been applied by us on external joinery, these have been selected from the Dulux Trade range of products – Wood Primer, Aluminium Wood Primer, Undercoat, Satinwood and Gloss Finish which are all solvent-based products. We have applied one coat according to the manufacturer’s instructions and we can provide you with Product Sheets for further information, if required. Before applying decorative paint or stain coating to external joinery, all surfaces should be clean and dry and should be lighted sanded between coats. It is the responsibility of the person applying further paint or stain finishes to our products to check for compatability with our chosen supplier’s paint or stain system. External softwood joinery is generally coated with Cuprinol Trade 5 Star Wood Treatment as a preventative measure against dry rot, wet rot and woodworm prior to the application of wood primer. Aluminium Wood Primer is applied to hardwood surfaces to prevent resin from bleeding through the newly applied paint system.

Exposed external timber surfaces on our roof lanterns or lantern lights are coated with two coats of Sadolins Superdec to reduce the need for frequent maintenance where access may be an issue. Sadolin Superdec is a medium to high build water-borne opaque timber coating which is suitable for exterior joinery.

Where external oak joinery is treated to preserve its blond appearance, we recommend the use of Danish oil and, where required, will have coated your joinery with two coats of Rustins Danish Oil for an attractive, durable, satin finish. It is recommended that external oak joinery receives at least one more coat of Danish oil once installed and is then subject to a regular inspection and maintenance routine as oak is prone to weather staining caused by moisture activating mould spores present naturally in the wood. Horizontal surfaces and very exposed locations may require most frequent attention and up to six coats may be appropriate with regular maintenance coats.

As there are a plethora of stained finishes available on the market offering a wide variety of colours and decorative finishes, we have not chosen a particular range to use on our joinery but we will provide you details of the finish used together with product data sheets and health and safety information, where required. We recommend that the manufacturer’s instructions are closely followed to ensure the longevity and aesthetic appearance of your joinery.

If your joinery is fitted with draught strip, you installer will have shown you how to remove and refit this in preparation for further coats of paint to be applied. It is essential that the final coat of paint is fully dried prior to the refitting of draught strip to ensure that this stays in place and its future efficiency is not compromised.

General maintenance

It is recommended that the surface coatings, glazing and ironmongery supplied with our products are inspected at least annually dependant on the prevailing weather conditions. The decorative finish applied to our products must be maintained in service and moisture should not be allowed to penetrate into the timber throughout its life.

General cleaning should be carried out regularly (minimum twice a year) using a non-abrasive cloth with mild detergent and warm water to remove any contaminates, whilst frequently changing the water. After cleaning, rinse thoroughly with clean water to remove all residues but do not use hosepipes or pressure cleaning equipment. During cleaning, if any damage is noticed, then this must be repaired immediately. Areas of general wear and tear such as window and door cills and door edges, should be made good and touched up as necessary.

Maintaining windows and doors

• To ensure that your sliding sash windows operate smoothly, apply a silicon spray or candle wax to the pulley stiles regularly
• Treat your windows and doors with care and avoid slamming them shut or forcing them open.
• To open a window or door, ensure that you use the furniture provided as using the glazing bars or rails will weaken the joints over time.
• To avoid damage, ensure that all fasteners are opened fully before use.