How to Maintain a Wood Entry Gate

to keep it looking its very best.

James Gate Works suggests for the maximum enjoyment you maintain a wood entry gate by following the simple instructions. Look at various finishes and their maintenance timelines

It is important that your gate be sealed to prevent the absorption of moisture.

This helps reduce the dimensional changes---swelling during the winters and shrinking in the summer. If the gate is hung into place without seals or stains or paint primer, and takes on the moisture of rainfall or heavy dew, it is then necessary to allow the wood to dry before proceeding with the finish.

Clear seal A natural graying with time. To prevent moisture absorption, Cabot's Waterproofing (completely invisible) should be re-applied when water no longer beads on the surface of the wood gate. 

Natural Oil:   Cabots Clear Solutions, in three tints. A penetrating oil that enriches the wood tone while providing a water repellant seal.   Should last one or two years:  Use a single coat.

Cabots Semi-Transparent and Semi-Solid Stains:  Should be adequate for three to six years.  The wood grain remains visible. It is a finish often preferred because the pigments provide a more organic compliment to the surrounding landscape. Requires a single coat.  No primer is needed.

I prefer to use Cabot's Australian Log Oil.  It comes in three or more tints.  I prefer the Jarrah Brown.  I apply to well sanded wood (up to 220 grit with the grain) and allow to dry overnight.  Then I use abrasive pads (not steel wool) and a rub in a coat of Teak Oil from Watco, or if I can get it Tung Oil Finish.  I allow it to remain on wood about a half hour and then wipe it off.  Let it dry overnight and then apply another coat of the oil and wipe again after 30 minutes or so.  If you allow oil to sit on the wood too long, it may get a bit sticky.  This can be remedied by re-application of the oil and wiping clean a short time later.

Paint:  Should last five to ten years.   The most durable and yet requiring one primer coat and two top coats. For gates to be painted white, all end-grains are epoxy-sealed in the shop.  To prevent unsightly tanin bleeding we use the best primer for redwood,  Zinsser Cover Stain, oil based and then follow with an acrylic top coat. It is also acceptable to use the Benjamin Moore exterior oil-based stain-blocker primer.

A costly, and difficult to apply finish that is superior in many ways to anything else can be had with Sikkens Cetrol.  It is a two part, two different products from same manufacturer, that

must be applied in a controlled enviroment with controlled dry time between coats.  It lasts forever.  (that is a figure of speech and not intended to be used in a court of law)

Sikkens Information