Every 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 which 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, 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 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, and 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 accomodate any such movement and from time to time after that.
Applying wood preservative
There is no need to treat your Zest product with preservative.
If your Zest product is pressure treated, the majority of these are aleady guaranteed for 10 years against rot.
Splits and knots are normal
Wood is a natural, organic product and some cracks and splits are normal as your product acclimatises. They are not detrimental to the strength of longevity of the product. Likewise a few knots are normal and just tell the story of the tree which made them.
Ten year guarantees
Most Zest products have guarantees, but there are natural processes at work outdoors which may change their appearance. Temperature and humidity will cause expansion and contraction, so give your Zest garden structures and outdoor furniture time to adjust.
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 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 manufacturering 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 coloured stain high-build finish. Protek use only water-based technology and each product is skilfully made to minimise any human health and safety risk and the effect on the environment.
Recommended ranges:
https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/products/wood-stain
https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/clear-coats
https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/wood-stain/timber-eco-shield
https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/wood-stain/royal-exterior-finish
https://www.protekwoodstain.co.uk/wood-stain/wood-preserver-2
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 Managing Director
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