Welcome to the Acre & Artisan Warranty & Timber Care Guide. Our structural timber collections are engineered for generations, not just seasons. We partner exclusively with elite, heritage UK workshops to ensure every piece of garden architecture reflects a commitment to structural integrity, patience, and resilience.
Because timber is an organic, living material, understanding how it adapts to the British climate ensures your investment matures beautifully alongside your property.
1. The Artisan 10-Year Anti-Rot Guarantee
We stand firmly behind the quality of our materials. All premium softwoods utilized in our signature structural collections undergo a specialized, high-pressure preservation treatment.
• The Coverage: We provide a 10-Year Anti-Rot & Decay Guarantee on all pressure-treated structural timber elements. This protects your asset against fungal decay and wood-boring insect attack that compromises structural integrity.
• The Conditions: To maintain your warranty, the timber must not be cut, drilled, or deeply planed post-delivery unless the exposed raw timber is immediately treated with a professional-grade end-grain preservative. The structural assets must also be installed on a suitable, level, well-draining foundation.
2. Understanding Natural Timber: What to Expect
Timber is a natural product that breathes, moves, and reacts dynamically to moisture levels and temperature shifts. When your asset arrives or begins settling into your garden, you will notice characteristics that are entirely natural and structurally safe:
• "Checking" and Natural Splits: As timber dries out during warmer months, it naturally contracts, causing surface cracks known as "checks" to appear along the grain. These surface splits are a beautiful sign of live timber adapting to its environment. They occur entirely on the exterior surface and do not compromise the internal structural strength of the thick timber posts.
• Silver Weathering & UV Shifts: Our pressure-treated timber initially carries a natural, subtle green or pale tint from the preservation fluids. Over time, exposure to sunlight will gracefully mature the timber into a rich golden brown, before eventually settling into a highly sought-after, classic silvery-grey hue.
• Resin & Sap Exudation: During warm summer spells, natural resin or sap may occasionally rise to the surface of the timber. This is completely harmless and can easily be scraped away or removed gently using a cloth dampened with methylated spirits.
3. Recommended Long-Term Care Routine
While our pressure treatment protects your structure from rot from the inside out, completing minor routine maintenance will maximize its lifespan and protect its aesthetic finish.
• Annual Cleansing: Once a year (ideally in early spring), gently wash down your timber structure using a soft brush and warm, soapy water to remove surface dirt, algae, or organic garden debris. Avoid high-powered pressure washers closely targeted at the wood.
• UV & Moisture Sealing (Optional): While not required to stop rot, applying a premium, breathable exterior wood oil, water-repellent sealer, or high-end timber stain once every 12 to 24 months will lock in the wood's natural color and add an extra hydrophobic barrier.
• Hardware Inspection: Once a year, take a moment to inspect the heavy-duty structural fixings and bolts on your asset. Tighten any bolts that may have loosened slightly due to the natural expanding and contracting of the structural timbers.
4. Contact Our Technical Studio
If you have questions regarding the installation foundations, structural loads, or specific timber oils suitable for your collection, our studio team is here to assist:
• Helpline: +44 330 533 0231
• Email: Concierge@acreandartisan.co.uk