While Sydney's climate is generally good for timber, maintaining wooden projects around the home demands a disciplined approach and the occasional change of materials and methods.
In this blog, we will give you some information to ensure that your cupboards and dining settings last the distance when it comes to carpenters in Sydney.
Regular Cleaning
Avoid dusting, sweeping and vacuuming your wood surfaces. This can kick up fine dust particles that scratch and degrade the surface of your wood. A good pass of a wet cloth can occasionally move out any dust and dirt collected by quality flooring.
Protective Coating
You can apply a sealer to protect the wood from moisture and look. This can be a varnish, paint or sealer. It protects the wood and can enhance the natural look.
Use of Preservatives
For instance, if the timber is used outdoors, it might be wise to consider preservatives to penetrate the fibres and protect against fungi or even termites and other hungry wood-eating insects.
Wood Modification Systems
Take a look at some techniques used to modify wood, such as chemical modification and thermal modification, to enhance its resistance, strength and stability.
Professional Assistance
Otherwise, for bigger projects, as well as when you feel you don’t know enough, go for an experienced and trusted team like LF Construction Services who provide carpentry services around Sydney. Some larger projects definitely should be the work of professionals to cope with Sydney's environment and climate and provide good quality output.
But Gentle Treatment – A bit of know-how about regular care and repair (or leaving it to the experts) will hold the line on integrity and good looks for decades.
At the Start, be Sure to Choose the Right Wood
The kind of wood you choose for your premises should portray longevity and excellence. In Sydney, the choice of wood is influenced by the climate as well as the ease of cleaning.
Here are some quickfire bullet points that will give you more insight on how to make a good choice of wood for your premises in Sydney.
Hardwoods
Jarrah: One of the hardest hard woods, jarrah is of dense and dark nature, with a deep red-brown colour and a high resistance to abrasion and decay; it’s primarily used in flooring and decking.
Spotted Gum. Fire-retardant, dense, and hard-wearing hardwood available in cream to reddish brown with continuous and/or interlocked grain, and can be cleaned easily.
Blackbutt: A paler yellow to a medium honey brown, a very hard and durable wood, very popular for flooring.
Softwoods
Treated Pine: This is a cheap option and popular for a reason, as it’s versatile and easy to use. It works best with a yearly coat of oil.
Composite Materials
Composite Decking: A mix of wood fibres and recycled plastic; easy to maintain, 100 per cent rot-proof and highly resistant to UV rays. It’s an exciting prospect that a revolution could be in the offing.
When Selecting Wood, Consider the Following:
Climate Suitability: Choose materials that can withstand Sydney's climate conditions.
Maintenance Level: Determine how much maintenance you are willing to undertake.
Aesthetic: Decide on the look you want to achieve.
Budget: Factor in the cost of the wood and its long-term maintenance.
For further information and advice, make sure you have a good working relationship with your carpenter(s) who will not only find customised solutions for your preferences but may offer maintenance post-project.
Woods for Professional Cleaners
In Australia, a few timbers are especially suitable for professional cleaning and are used for really big jobs (e.g., excessive wear or smoking, etc.) because they’re easy to maintain and more convenient than other varieties:
Australian Hardwoods
We’ve touched on a couple of these earlier in the blog, but here’s a bit more information and some other woods:
Blackbutt: Best hardwood to deal with fire, with bushfire rating of 16 – 21 Low plant maintenance, but needs timely watering when it’s young. Ideal for professional power hosing on big sites as it can handle it with ease.
Brushbox: This tree combines high density (perfect for resistance to wear) and compatibility with cleaning products (useable with any kind of cleaning product), so it’s not affected by prolonged scrubbing. Its fibre is detected in heavy-duty cleaning appliances.
Spotted Gum: Another hardwood that’s resistant to water and can be used in high-traffic areas with a striated Anigre-like easy clean surface.
Softwoods
Cypress Pine: Has naturally occurring resins which make it less vulnerable to termites and can be good to consider if you are thinking long-term and professional cleans.
Composite Materials
Composite Decking: Its practical use is a low-maintenance material, highly impervious to the elements and used for all those areas needing frequent professional cleaning.
Summary
When choosing which type of wood you would like from your supplier, it’s important to consider which type of finish is being applied to the wood as this can affect the way in which it should be cleaned. Some wood is treated with an oil or a lacquer, and certain cleaning products can damage this finish.
However, you might have difficulties deciding the most suitable woods for your carpentry project when it comes to small-scale or daily projects, so it’s advisable to talk to professional carpentry services and providers in Sydney, such as LF Construction Services who are carpenters based in Sydney for these types of projects, especially on large and complex projects.
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