There are a lot of varying factors to this question, but a simple answer is yes on most types of untreated wood that are exposed to moisture. As the vast majority of our products are professionally coated using a five stage system which protects and seals the natural timber from water ingress, the worry of rot is removed. The five stage system is as below,
- Preserver is applied to untreated timber (on species that require treatment)
- End grain sealer is coated over any exposed end grain to prevent up to 90% of water absorption.
- A stain prohibiting primer is applied
- A rain repelling mid coat is applied on all areas of the product
- A rain repelling top coat is applied on all areas of the product
There is however a reasonably new type of timber which is fast becoming more and more popular for external joinery products. Accoya is a softwood which under goes a natural chemical change through production. This reduces its ability to absorb water, making the wood more dimensionally stable, extremely durable and to quote Accoya “Virtually rot proof”. We find that Accoya gives a basis for a beautiful stain or painted finish along with the peace of mind that the timber below the finish has its own protection against the elements, with a lifespan that beats UPVC and all other types of timber.
The benefit of Accoya is that if the door or window were to be damaged (i.e the external coating were to be removed or cut and the natural wood exposed to moisture) Accoya would not be affected from water ingress due to its own natural and protective qualities. Using any other species of timber in the same scenario would lead to the product absorbing water and the timber therefore swelling along with leading to early stages of rot.
We urge all customers to seriously consider Accoya for any external joinery work, please click the link below for more information:
http/:www.accoya.com/benefits/
Please remember that all external joinery products must be maintained accordingly to achieve their maximum service life.