What is Tanalised Timber?

As all our fences are made from tanalised timber we thought we'd do a brief article on exactly what is tanalised timber. The long and short of it is that tanalised timber helps protect the wood from the elements and bugs for a long time. This means that any timber you buy should have this treatment, especially if the timber is to be used outside.

What is tanalised timber?

This is the basic idea. Tanalised timber is wood that has been impregnated with a wood preservative under controlled conditions in a vacuum pressure timber plant. The main active ingredient in the treatment process is called Tanalith E. As this is the most popular brands of wood preservative, the name “tanalised treatment” became the most common way to refer to it.

How is Pressure Treated Wood Made?

The tanalising process itself is simple enough but has been honed after many decades. It follows these main steps:

1. The timber is loaded into a large treatment tank that is sealed to create a strong air vacuum.
2. The tank is then filled with the wood preservative to completely cover the timber.
3. The tank is then put under hydraulic pressure forcing the preservative deep into the timber. This works in the same way a pressure cooker in your kitchen does. Steam and heat cannot escape so it is forced into the food. In the same way, the preservative is forced into the wood which is full of microscopic air pockets.
4. The tank is then drained of any excess preservative.
5. The vacuum seal is then broken, allowing the low pressure inside the timber to draw in any remaining preservative.
6. The timber is left to dry naturally and then is ready for use.

What are the benefits of Tanalised Timber?

Tanalised timber is the most commonly used timber for outside projects, including fencing, decking, outside furniture and even children's play areas. There are several benefits of tanalised timber.

Avoid Bug & Rot

The wood preservative used usually combines copper and organic biocide ingredients which protects the timber from being penetrated by bugs or water. Bugs like woodworms and weevils will burrow into wood to make their nests. This can destroy the integrity of your timber structure which will result in it collapsing or becoming a fall risk. The same can be said of water, if damp and moisture remain in wood, it can create a home for bugs and fungi to damage the wood. This too will result in safety risks and the timber degrading quicker than expected. Tanalised timber will protect your fencing and timber projects from both of these. We guarantee our fencing for 15 years against rot but we've seen properly treated fences last decades.

Maintain the look of your timber

If your fencing is tanalised, your fencing will remain structural integral for years to come. And because of this, the look of your timber fencing will remain beautiful. Whilst the treatment prevents rot as the panels are exposed to the elements the colour will fade normally to a silvery grey. This can be prevented by using a clear oil. Alternatively, the panels can be painted or oiled to prevent this. If done prior to installation, we recommend giving the timber a couple of weeks to dry to prevent moisture from escaping and cracking the paintwork.

Safe for animals and children

Tanalised Timber is safe to use for children's play areas and is frequently used as such. Studies into their use have shown that there is [no risk to children](https://www.tanalisedtimber.co.uk/Using-Tanalised-Timber/FAQs#:~:text=TANALISED Timber is safe to,part of their approval process.), even if they ate or chewed on the timber. The same can be said for animals such as dogs, cats and rabbits. There is currently no evidence to suggest it would harm your pets, though we wouldn't encourage them to gnaw on the wood either.

Shop Tanalised Timber Fencing

All our items are made from pressure treated softwood, mainly a mixture of pine and larch. We only use timber that is FSC certified which means all our wood is sourced ethically from sustainably maintained woodland, right here in the UK. Our tanalised timber is treated to ISO9001 standards. This gives a 15-year guarantee against rot. All our staples and metalwork are made from galvanised steel, which in turn prolongs the life of our items and most importantly your fencing. See our fencing, gates and supporting elements, all made with tanalised timber as well as galvanised steel pieces. If you need any help or have any questions, please get in touch.