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Wooden Shutters, Doors & Pergolas
We bring old wooden shutters, doors and pergolas back to life, so you don't have to replace them.
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My wooden shutters are faded and peeling. Can they be saved or do they need replacing?If the wood underneath is sound, they can usually be saved: sanded back to clean wood, primed and painted, or given a clear finish. Wood that has rotted and gives under pressure needs repair or replacing.How can I tell my wooden pergola needs varnishing again?When the wood fades or greys, feels rough, opens small cracks or soaks up water instead of shedding it. The parts that take the full sun and rain need varnishing more often than the rest.Can I paint my shutters over the old paint without sanding?Only if the old paint is holding firmly everywhere. If it's peeling or cracked, the new coat will come off with it. Anything loose has to come off with a scraper and sanding first.Should I paint or varnish my wooden shutters and door?It depends on the wood and on what you want to see. Paint covers the wood and hides old repairs. Varnish lets the grain show, but it needs clean, sound wood underneath.My wood has gone grey and cracked. Does that mean it's rotten?Not necessarily. Greying and fine cracks are usually surface wear from the sun and come off with sanding. Rotten wood is soft, gives when you press it, or crumbles.
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Terms
FillerA fine paste or powder that fills holes, fine cracks and dents so a wall, ceiling or piece of wood is smooth before it is painted.LatticeA panel of thin wooden battens crossed in a grid. It is used for screens, for privacy and on pergolas and planters.PergolaAn open shade structure in a garden, on a terrace or a roof, made of posts and beams with slats, reeds, fabric or plants on top. It is often made of wood.PrimerThe thin first coat that goes on before the main material. It binds dust, seals the pores and helps paint or waterproofing stick firmly.SandingSmoothing a surface with sandpaper or a power sander to remove bumps, loose old paint or gloss, so the new paint or varnish grips well and comes out smooth.VarnishA clear or semi-transparent finish for wood that lets the grain show through and protects it from sun, rain and wear.Weathered (grey) woodThe grey, rough layer wood develops when it is left unprotected in sun and rain. It is surface wear and usually comes off with sanding.Wood preservativeA liquid that soaks into wood and protects it from fungi, rot, woodworm and moisture. It goes on bare wood, usually before varnish or paint.Wood rotDecay of wood caused by fungi when it stays damp for a long time. Rotten wood goes soft, gives when pressed or crumbles, and can't be saved with paint.
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Woodwork
Restoring Wooden Shutters
Old wooden shutters with peeling paint were sanded, primed and repainted instead of being replaced.
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Woodwork
Weathered Wooden Shutters Refinished
Shutters that had turned grey and cracked in the sun were sanded and given a warm wood finish again.
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Woodwork
Varnishing and Maintaining a Wooden Pergola on a Roof Terrace
The wooden pergolas, lattice panels and clad planters on a roof terrace were maintained and varnished, so the wood stands up to sun and rain.
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