An ArborReuse piece, a log seat, table or feature timber, starts out as a tree that came down on one of our projects. Once it's installed, it behaves like any outdoor timber: it needs a bit of ongoing care to stay strong and look good. Here's what that actually involves, and what you can expect over the life of a piece.
We use two products from the same range: an oil for finished, milled pieces like tables, and a copper-based timber preservative for rougher-surfaced pieces like log seats, which sit closer to the ground and have more natural crevices for moisture to collect in. The preservative adds mould, decay and termite resistance on top of the oil's protection.
In practice, our team mostly applies the higher-grade preservative across the board. It covers every base, so it's the simplest way to protect a piece regardless of its finish.
The timber is designed to grey out in the sun. That's not a defect, it's the finish doing what it's meant to do. Underneath the greyed surface, the oil is still protecting the timber from decay and insects. If you want to keep the colour looking fresh, reapply before it fades; if you're happy to let it weather naturally, you don't have to do anything at all.
As a guide, reapply every 6 to 12 months, depending on how much sun or shade the piece gets. Maintenance is front-loaded: expect it more often in the first five years while oil builds up in the timber, then far less as it saturates. We'd suggest an annual check as a starting point, just to see how a piece is weathering.
Hardwood is generally rated for 15 to 20 years outdoors, even with no maintenance at all. We wouldn't treat that as a guarantee, though. Timber is a natural product, and how long any individual piece lasts depends on the species, where it sits, and what it's exposed to.
The main thing to watch for is moisture that doesn't dry out. A piece that gets wet and dries out again is fine; a piece that sits damp in a shaded, poorly ventilated spot will decay faster. Coastal exposure and high rainfall matter for the same reason.
If a piece sits in or near the ground, there are a couple of optional add-ons: a combined waterproof and termite-protection sealant, or a cost-effective bitumen waterproofing option (more commonly used on fence posts), which protects against water but not insects. Neither is required, they're there if you want the extra reassurance for a piece that's a bigger investment or has a longer intended life, like a feature log installed with its base in the ground.
Log seats with natural crevices and shapes need a bit more attention than a smooth, milled table. We think that's part of the appeal, not a flaw. These pieces are meant to weather over time. It's a natural cycle, not a maintenance failure.
No. Any timber product needs maintenance, whether it's reclaimed or brand new. There's no meaningful difference in care between an ArborReuse piece and any other timber seat or table. The only genuinely maintenance-free option is a non-timber alternative, like metal.
For councils managing their own maintenance crews, this isn't a specialised service. Any decent timber-care product will do the job. We use and recommend Cutek because it's a quality Australian product and what we apply ourselves, but it's not the only option. If you'd rather we handled it for you, that's something we can quote as a service too.
If you want us to look after the maintenance for you, or you've got questions about a specific piece, get in touch. Otherwise, keep an eye on it once a year and it'll take care of itself for a long time to come.
To see what we make and how it's put together, visit the ArborReuse page.