Product Care
Every Zest product is unique because each piece of timber has its own distinctive, natural features
Timber is a natural material, which means that every Zest piece is unique because every piece of timber has its own distinctive features.
Many Zest products have ten-year guarantees, but there are natural processes at work outdoors, that may change their appearance.
Changes in temperature and humidity will cause expansion and contraction, so give your Zest garden structures and outdoor furniture time to adjust.
Some splits or cracks are part of the maturing process and will not affect strength or durability.
Knots embedded in the wood are natural, and you may notice variations in colour, but once exposed to the sun, the colour will even out.
Most Zest products are pressure-treated, which is a process to maximise their life. When new, however, this may cause ‘green-spotting’ but this will fade over time.
The ageing process creates a lovely silvery colour, but if you wish to retain the original colour, you can wash down the surfaces with a wood-cleaning product and treat them with a wood stain or paint containing preservative.
Video Guide on How to Care for Your Zest Product
Transcript from the video:
Hello, I’m Paul Haynes from Zest, and I’d like to tell you how to get the best out of your garden timber products so you can enjoy them for many years to come.
Slight variations in colour are normal
When your Zest garden furniture or product has been delivered, you may notice that there are slight variations in the colour of the wood. This is perfectly normal, as it's made from a natural material, and no two pieces of timber are ever exactly the same.
Each piece is a result of that tree's individual growth, the number of branches, and the changing seasons throughout its life.
All you need to do is let your product settle into its new home and any variations will gently fade with time.
Wood naturally contracts and expands
As timber is an organic material, it will adapt to its new environment, and changes in temperature and humidity will cause the product to expand and contract.
This natural movement will not affect the strength of the product or its beauty, but it can be useful to check the tightness of the screws and fixings around a month after assembly to accommodate any such movement and from time to time after that.
Applying wood preservative
There is no need to treat your Zest product with a preservative.
If your Zest product is pressure treated, the majority of them are aleady guaranteed for 10 years against rot.
Wood is a unique and natural material, and your Zest product may feature the following
These visible changes are not a fault or a cause for concern and do not affect the structural integrity of the product. They are a result of how the timber matures and responds to its natural environment.
Colour Variations
There may be variations in the timber’s colour or shading, but these will fade away over time when exposed to sunlight.
Wood Knots
The changing seasons in each year of growth create characteristics unique to each tree and to every piece of timber. Branches create an embedded mark in the tree trunk, resulting in a knot. Knots are a unique and natural feature that tells the story of the tree.
Wood Splits
Owing to timber’s natural moisture content, variations in temperature and humidity can cause expansion and contraction and may result in cracks and splits in any product made from natural timber. Any cracks and splits in the timber grain will alter with the changing seasons. They do not compromise the strength and durability of the product.
Green Spotting
Most Zest products are pressure treated which protects the timber from rot for many years. Pressure treatment can result in a small amount of ‘green spotting’ on the surface of new timber caused by natural salts leaving the wood. This will fade away over time.
Changes in temperature and humidity will cause expansion and contraction so Zest products need time to adjust to where the owners live. A few splits or cracks are part of the maturing process and will not affect strength or durability.
Knots embedded in the wood are natural and tell the story of the tree which made them. Customers may notice variations in colour but, once out in the garden and exposed to the sun, colour and shading will even out.
Most Zest products are pressure treated which protects the timber from rot and means customers will be able to enjoy the products in their garden for many years.
Fresh pressure treatment sometimes leads to a small amount of green-spotting on the surface of new timber as the natural salt leaves the wood. This will fade away over time and is in no way detrimental to quality or durability.
Splits and cracks occur naturally in the timber grain due to changing temperatures and humidity levels. They are not usually a cause for concern as they don’t affect the strength or durability of the product.
If however, a 2p coin can fit into the split or crack there may be an issue so it should be reported to the retailer in writing with photographic evidence.
Our Guarantees and Wood Treatment
Zest is a leading timber specialist, designing and manufacturing award-winning wooden garden products crafted from natural, slow-grown European redwood. Unlike man-made materials, timber is an entirely natural material, and each piece has its own distinctive qualities. So, owning a Zest timber product is like enjoying a unique slice of nature.
Ten-year guarantees
Most Zest products have guarantees, but there are natural processes at work outdoors that may change their appearance. Temperature and humidity will cause expansion and contraction, so give your Zest garden structures and outdoor furniture time to adjust.
Pressure treatment
This is a process to maximise product life and appearance retention, but when new, it may cause ‘green-spotting’ as salt leaves the wood. This is in no way detrimental and will fade away over time.
Simple product care
The ageing process creates a lovely silvery colour, but if you wish to retain the original colour, you can wash down the surfaces with a wood-cleaning product and treat them with a wood stain or paint containing preservative.
Paints & Wood Stains
We have partnered with Protek, one of the UK's leading suppliers of high-quality paints and wood stains, to bring you a range of water-based wood stains and exterior paints, available in 2.5-litre and 5-litre variations.
Protek's paints and stains give you long-lasting colour and weather protection to ensure your shed, fence panels, garden furniture, and any other wooden garden product will look their best for years to come.
As an industry leader for over 40 years, Protek's advanced formula provides excellent weather resistance and all-year round protection.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When can I treat or paint my product?Many of our products are pressure-treated to protect them against rot. As such, there is no need to apply any treatment within the first 6 months of receipt. Doing so will invalidate the warranty, as this will not allow enough time for excess moisture from the pressure treatment to dry out. However, after this period, you may apply an annual treatment to prolong the life and look of the product if you wish.
- Can you recommend a wood preservative?We highly recommend products by wood care specialists, Protek, who have been manufacturing high-quality wood stains, decorative timber coatings, and preservatives for over 30 years. Their wood stains can be used on a variety of finished states, such as rough sawn or planed surfaces, and will leave a natural-looking, high-build finish. Protek uses only water-based technology, and each product is carefully made to minimise any human health and safety risk and the effect on the environment.
See our range of highly recommended paints and wood preservatives from Protek
Many frequently asked questions can be found here: https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/articles/faqs.
The benefits of slow-grown timber
“We use slow-grown softwood to make the Zest range. Slow-grown timber is especially dense with minimal natural blemishes, so it is strong, durable, and beautiful. The perfect material for outdoor wooden products to enhance your garden, patio, or balcony.”
Steve Morgan Chairman
Advisory Notices
1. Roofs are weather-resistant and not guaranteed to be watertight unless otherwise stated.
2. Items with enclosed storage or cupboard space are weather-resistant and are not watertight unless otherwise stated.
3. Be aware of trap hazards if a Zest product has moving parts.
4. All products should be positioned on solid, level ground.
5. Anchor down products where applicable using appropriate fixings.
6. Roofs are not weight-bearing.
7. Sanitise all catering surfaces prior to use.
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