Now that there is a threat of cold, rain and a few weeks later snow again, not only the garden furniture, but also the fences, the terrace floor and the raised beds require our attention again if they are to survive the cold season afterwards unscathed.

Before the start of autumn, outdoor wood should be well impregnated

Now simply whitewashing all wooden surfaces indiscriminately is purely cosmetic and will be seen in the long run, not last long. Therefore, take your time and first check all wooden surfaces for damage, because even the most careful coat of wood preservatives is of little use to rotten or damp surfaces. If pressure with a fingernail is enough for the strength to give way, only a thorough renovation of the terrace partition wall will help and if there is any visible surface damage, the subsurface should be sanded over a large area.

A little preparatory work and the paint is only off much later

Water, known to be the greatest enemy of wood, ensures that mold forms on the surface, which as an ideal breeding ground is responsible for gradual rotting. The commercially available wood preservatives make the wood water-repellent down to the surface and regulate the moisture inside. Before painting, however, the wood to be treated must be completely dry. If the surface is too rough or the wood fibers are already standing up, a few sheets of sandpaper or even better, the courageous use of the orbital sander are required. The same care must be taken when parts of the previous coat are found to be peeling off, which may still be able to be stripped down to the raw wood.

Be particularly careful with wooden furniture and floor coverings

Exotic types of wood such as teak or eucalyptus require particularly thorough care in the last few weeks of summer. Once completely cleaned of grease, dirt and other contaminants and completely dry, a deep treatment with hardwood oil is recommended. This is different with objects made of softwood and coniferous wood, which you can first treat with a thin layer of varnish and after drying with an additional layer of varnish to protect against adverse weather conditions, aging and vermin infestation. Then let it dry well again and store it in the garden shed (€24.90) or a weather-protected basement in preparation for hibernation. Everything that has to stay outside due to its size can then be covered with a suitable protective hood so that moisture, dirt and vermin cannot harm the valuable garden interior. However, foils and fabric tarpaulins must not lie too close to the wood, otherwise the moisture regulation from the inside to the outside will be impaired.

Special case wooden flooring and WPC

A poorly protected wooden floor covering, or one that has not been protected at all for a long time, will not bring joy to its owners for very long. In addition to extreme mechanical loads, it is exposed to significant fluctuations in humidity and temperature and needs your very special attention. In general, only those agents that the manufacturer expressly recommends should be used for sealing and care. This applies in particular to the frequently used wood-polymer composites (WPC) floors and planks, which are made of approx. 70/30 percent wood/plastics and synthetic additives.

The winterization of floor coverings

Here, too, cleanliness is the be-all and end-all when it comes to care. Therefore, the area to be treated should be thoroughly cleaned in dry weather with a scrubber and a sufficient amount of water. With regard to the drying time, plan at least a day, or even better 48 hours, before starting the protective impregnation. The application of two coats has proven itself, so that fungi and sponges have little chance of attacking the protected wooden surfaces in the long term.

Raised beds, planters and your fence also need to be protected

And here it is particularly important to perfectly seal the particularly sensitive end-grain wood surfaces. You can recognize end-grain or end-grain wood by the visible annual rings or their segments, which are often visible at the ends of solid wood. Moisture can penetrate particularly quickly and easily here due to the open porosity. Before applying paint as evenly as possible, it is also important to carry out thorough and in-depth cleaning before painting with wood protection oils, varnishes or glazes (66.50€).

Wood preservatives - but which one is the right one?

When choosing the ideal AND non-hazardous product, you should definitely contact an authorized specialist dealer. Wood preservatives are biocides, so certain precautionary measures must be observed with the chemicals. The wood preservatives approved for processing in Germany are regularly updated by the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in order to protect consumers and of course our environment from possible dangers.

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Care tips