Apply a fungicide treatment to tackle any signs of fungus or mildew present on the wood. Let the sleepers dry completely after cleaning before applying any wood preservative. Choose a wood preservative that offers protection against rot and insect damage. Barrettine and Ronseal are good options.
New reproduction sleepers will benefit from the use of a wood preserver and an exterior wood oil such as Manns Premier UV Decking Oil.
Tackle algae with a solution of water and white vinegar. Spray this mixture directly onto affected areas. Let the vinegar solution sit for at least 15 minutes to break down the algae. Scrub away the loosened algae with a stiff brush, applying more pressure on stubborn patches.
New untreated or tanalised sleepers can be treated with most types of shed treatments or fence treatments. To keep the natural look of the wood, they can be treated with two coats of a wax-free, clear, wood preserver, followed by two thin coats of a clear exterior wood oil.
Apply creosote on untreated sleepers. This treatment offers excellent waterproofing and preserves the wood from fungal attacks.
Scrub brush — This is essential for physically removing the mold from the wood surface. Make sure it's sturdy enough to withstand some thorough scrubbing. Mold-removal solution — You can either purchase a commercial mold removal product or make your own using a mixture of bleach and water.
As a rule, hardwood oak sleepers tend to last the longest naturally with an expected lifespan of around 100 years. An untreated softwood will last for between three and five years if it sits on the ground, whilst treated softwoods can last between 20 and 30 years if they are maintained correctly.
SmartSeal Green Clear Pro Powerful Green Algae Remover
The SmartSeal Green Clear Pro is a versatile and powerful algae remover designed to restore outdoor surfaces. Its advanced formula effectively eliminates green algae, moss, and black lichen, leaving patios, decking, roofs, and fences looking refreshed.
(Chromated Copper Arsenate) – CCA Timber Treatment
Created as a fungicide and termiticide, CCA is the most popular timber treatment type used today. Applied to wood using a pressure treatment, CCA is extremely effective, cost efficient, and more widely available than its counterpart—ACQ.
Teak oil is generally considered the best oil to treat wooden garden furniture. It provides year-round weather protection whilst emphasising the wood's natural colour. It does this by replacing the natural oils that are lost through weathering, and preventing the wood from splitting and warping.
Natural oils such as linseed oil can be used as a protective treatment for sleepers. These oils penetrate deep into the wood, offering protection against moisture and decay. Natural oils are an eco-friendly alternative to chemical preservatives and can be applied easily with a brush or cloth.
Boric acid (borate) is one of the most effective fungicides for use in treating wood rot. It can be applied to wood during construction to prevent future rot, or as a treatment to stop an active decay fungus from growing.
Softwood that is left untreated will still last around two to five years, which is why all of our softwood sleepers have been treated for longevity. We also supply hardwood sleepers, with oak sleepers ranging from 15 to 20 years and European oak sleepers lasting for 20 years.
You can if you wish to protect it from mold, algae, fungal attack and UV damage, but for the most part you leave it as it arrives fresh sawn. Oak is an extremely low maintenance timber and sees use in many different construction projects.
Stainless Steel is suited for premium lifelong installs or oak timber/sleepers, oak will corrode any non-stainless screw or fixing.
Common bleach and water can be used for cleaning mold. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends using a solution of 10 parts water to one part bleach to clean mold from surfaces. gent, 10 parts bleach and 20 parts warm water.
Yes, you can leave vinegar on mould overnight, though this isn't necessary as it usually takes effect after an hour. However, you can't use any type of vinegar, for mould removal you must use distilled white vinegar.
Green mold removal is easy for small colonies of less than 10 sq. ft. You can use DIY home remedies such as baking soda, lemon juice, vinegar, and hydrogen peroxide solutions to clean the infested area. Make sure that you let the surface dry completely after cleaning.
There is no specific treatment for people who are long sleepers. Studies are ongoing to determine whether it is beneficial for natural long sleepers to try to decrease the duration of their sleep.
Margaret Thatcher: Britain's longest-serving Prime Minister was famous for getting by on just four hours of sleep each night while in office, according to the BBC.