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The process of high vacume pressure treating timber with fluids such as arsenic is known as tanalising which is proven to be a long term barrier to wood rot or other common problems when constructing out timber. regularly used in the tops of garages, sheds and gate constructions for dwellings, the tanalised wood does have to be treated with a certain level of respect purely due to the chemicals involved as part of the tanalising process… so are tanalised wooden gates required to see your driveway gates last in excess of thirty years without rotting?

Easily noticeable from distributors of timber products for its green tint in colour, and can be of a rough sawn finish, however you can find gate manufacturers who do supply smooth finished tanalised gates to hang in driveways or be used as attractive wooden garden gates. Unless you are happy with the pale green colour of the gates then a high quality wood stain will be required to cover the gates and posts… This is not that easy as the tanalising process has sealed the fibres of the timber. Hence a high quality exterior wood stain has better chance of adhearing to the gates but the green tint often shows through or the exterior stains wash out quicker from weather corrosion than other forms of treated timber.

After some time the pale green coloration does subside and become a more suitable honey brown but die to the the treatment process still doesnt react too well with other color coatings. There are other methods of treating timber suitable for outside use and even large construction where the timbers preservative value can last an initial 60 years. Its a good idea to consider the alternatives as burning tanalised wood releases arsenic, a cumulative poison, into the immediate atmosphere. Whereas theres a copper azole formula pressure treatment as an alternative to the arsenic type tanalising process which provides an excellent protection barrier from causes of decay to ensure long life. There’s a water based version too which is in wide use in construction uses close to agricultural countryside uses such as field gates.