Seated Arbour Aftercare

An easy guide to help keep your Seated Arbour looking in its finest condition all year round.

Cleaning guidance for your Seated Arbour

Give your wooden garden furniture – Seated Arbour a good wash as regularly as possible to get rid of lichens, leaves, soil and bird droppings. This is especially beneficial if your Seated Arbour has been sitting beneath a tree.

When cleaning, use a cloth with lukewarm soapy water and lightly wipe the seated arbour and then wipe dry. Do not use a hosepipe or jet washer as this can damage the product.

Positioning your Seated Arbour

Do not place your seated arbour directly on to a surface that is covered in mould or likely to gather water as this can affect the seated arbour’s legs causing the mould and mildew to peel off the paint and then affect the wood which will encourage rotting.

In order to prevent this, we would advise placing lead platforms underneath each of the legs so prevent the seated arbour sitting in water.

The Autumn clean

Although it’s tempting to leave cleaning your garden furniture until you want to use it in the Spring. It is much better for the timber to do this in the Autumn. Dirt holds moisture far longer than something that is clean and it’s the moisture that brings on the decay.

By cleaning it you will also be getting it in a state where it can dry out from time to time on a sunny day, even in winter. If you are putting it under cover, then removing the dirt will also mean that it does not dry hard onto the furniture.

General / Annual Maintenance of your Seated Arbour

Annual maintenance is best carried out in the Autumn. Clean your Seated Arbour making sure it is still the best place for the seated arbour to be positioned. It may be likely that your seated arbour will need annual paint to keep ensure its elegant nature. We advise you do this over several dry days.

Sand down any areas that are rough and then dust down with a dry cloth. Apply one coat of Farrow & Ball exterior eggshell undercoat where your sanding has reached the wood. Leave it to dry for roughly two/three hours, ensuring you use the correct Farrow and Ball undercoat colour.

Once you have done this you can then start applying the Farrow & Ball colour of your choice applying at least two coats with two / three hours between coats.

If your seated arbour has a slate roof, apply slate oil or teak oil to the roof using a clean paintbrush. When you apply the oil avoid using too much, the oil keeps the slate looking shiny.

It is essential that regular maintenance is carried out from time to time to ensure that the seated arbour is in top condition. If this is not done then the arbour will deteriorate and can cause long-term damage which may be irreversible.

Protecting your Seated Arbour

Don’t allow wooden furniture to sit in a puddle, or very wet grass, all the time. It’s best to place a flat stone, pebble, slate or lead platforms under the legs so that it can drain and dry out from time to time.

We also highly recommend not to place the seated arbour on grass, the arbour is best placed when standing on hard concrete/slabs or gravel as this allows water to run off and be easily absorbed during sunny times.

During the Winter months and during cold and or wet weather, place a waterproof cover/tarpaulin over the seating area to prevent water collecting on the surface of the arbour. Water collected over a long period of time can gradually cause damage to the arbour surface, leading to the wood rising and the paint peeling. If you are using a tarpaulin, use ball bungees to allow the cover to stay in place.

This will ensure the seat is completely sheltered from the elements while also keeping pests away. Make sure it is clean before you cover it up and there is ventilation for air to circulate to prevent moisture collecting.

Seating area

• Use a furniture cover to cover the seated arbour seating area when it is not being used. This will protect from water sitting on the seated area which can cause long-term damage if not maintained.
• Ensure that the furniture cover fully fits the seating area of the arbour so the water can run off onto the floor.
• Use ball pegs to affix the cover onto the arbour preventing the sheet falling off
• Wrap the ball pegs around the arbour back seat slats and the front arbour legs.

Steps for removing grime, mildew, water, leaves and droppings from your wooden Seated Arbour

It is essential that you keep your seated arbour as clean as reasonably possible. As a natural product, the exterior environment can affect the longevity of the seated arbour.

First of all, fill one of your buckets with water and then add washing up liquid. Fill the second bucket with clear water. Take the soft cloth and moisten it in the washing up liquid solution. Then wring the cloth out so that it is barely moist.

Mildew is a type of mould that can grow and flourish in an environment where oxygen, moisture and organic material can combine to cause a reaction. If it grows upon your arbour it will appear green in appearance and will ruin its aesthetic. The good news is that most mould and mildew can be removed via a few simple cleaning-based steps.

Use the barely moist cloth to scrub the areas of your arbour affected by mildew. For the best results, concentrate on each problem area at a time. Once you are pleased that the problem area has been sufficiently cleaned, take another clean cloth and rinse with clean water. Then take a third clean cloth to dry the problem section.

NEVER use a power washer or hose pipe directly onto the seated arbour.

 

Paint

• • Ensure you use genuine Farrow & Ball exterior eggshell paint
  • If the paint has peeled to the wood, rub down with soft sandpaper
  • Wipe off the dust with a dry cloth and apply Farrow & Ball exterior undercoat
  • Once dried, apply Farrow & Ball exterior eggshell paint

Repainting your seated arbour

If you decide to repaint your seated arbour, ensure that any paint that has flaked off has been sanded down and wipe clean before apply undercoat. Use Farrow & Ball exterior eggshell to repaint your arbour following the Farrow & Ball painting instructions.

Slate roof

Ensure that water is running off the roof onto the floor.

If the water is collecting underneath the slate tile, fill gaps with a clear setting exterior use silicone to prevent the water getting in between the roof and the tiles which can cause long-term damage if not attended to.

Apply slate oil/teak oil onto the slate roof using a small pot and clean, dry paintbrush

Lightly coat the roof during a dry day, the slate oil will protect the roof and provide a shine effect. Use ladders when doing this and take care not to hurt yourself or damage the slate roof.

A final important note

Please note that Robinson Garden cannot be held responsible for on-going maintenance of your bespoke made to order seated arbour. If ongoing maintenance isn’t done this will heavily affect the lifespan and aesthetics of the seated arbour.

Follow the seated arbour aftercare guide above to ensure that your arbour is maintained correctly.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

For our most frequently asked questions regarding our seated arbours. Please click the button below.

Seated Arbour FAQs

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