The 10 Best Wood Preserver Reviews For UK Homes (2021)
Last Updated on May 5, 2021
Rotting, fading, temperature changes, attacks from insects, and alternating weather are some of the things wood puts up with.
Luckily, you don’t have to watch helplessly as your wooden products and finishes deteriorate. We give you a rundown of the best wood preserver to protect and keep your wood looking tip top.
The Best Wood Preservers Reviewed In 2021
1. 5L Wood Preserver By Cuprinol
The best wood preserver is the 5 litre Wood Preserver Clear By Cuprinol. We gave it a 5/5 star rating.
Are you looking for a wood preserver that you can use both for interior and exterior wood? We have good news for you, this amazing 5 Litre Cuprinol wood preserver is suitable for both exterior and interior use. Wood Preserver Clear by Cuprinol is a timber care company that produces reliable wood preservers that enable superb protection all year round and is one of the most popular brands.
This clear preserver has deep penetration protection that soaks into the woodwork to protect it from within. It penetrates then dries on the surface grain of the timber to get a tough, durable, and weather condition resistant exterior. It works by protecting wood against all types of spirit stains, decay, mould, algae and staining fungus.
The selling point of this Cuprinol Wood Preserver Clear is that it is very simple to apply and maintain. This means that when the exterior wood starts to wear out, you just re-apply a fresh top-coat without having to strip the woodwork back or removing the old finish with any tools or equipment. It is can cover up to 5m2 per litre and is designed with low aromatic solvents that enable it to have a low odour that is pleasant and convenient to use. Although, it is one of the more expensive options available.
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Pros
- The best wood preserver for sheds is simple to apply
- It can be used both on the interior and exterior wood surfaces
- This weathering purposes wood preserver really makes a difference.
- It conserves the exterior wood in the best way possible
- Up to 5m2 per litre with 2 coats, comes in a 5 Litre container
Cons
- It is one of the more expensive options available
2. 5 L Wood Protective Treatment By Nourish & Protect
The second best place in this category goes to the 5 Litre Wood Protective Treatment By Nourish & Protect. We gave this product a 5/5 star rating.
Nourish & Protect 5 L Wood Oil Protective Treatment is a solvent based wood preserver ideal for use on rough sawn or smooth-planed timber. We recommend this shed sealant because it contains water repellent resins and a biocide film to protect against mould and algae growth.
In addition, it helps reduce decay, swelling and twisting of wood. The pigments are good for UV fade resistance and will prevent any possible UV damage. It is a dark brown garden shed care that is also the best for use on but not limited to fences, trellis, pergola, patio log cabin, stables, decking, timber gazebos, garden sheds, wood bar carts, windows and window frames or even on doors or roof.
Since it is an wood oil/spirit preserver, it penetrates deeper into the woodwork to leave a transparent/translucent finish where the texture of the grain is visible. To apply, you can use a brush or a traditional pump sprayer. You should also wash your hands immediately after use.
Pros
- These exterior wood preservers have UV fade resistant pigments
- This wood oil deeply penetrates wood to enable beautiful finishes and the wood grain remains visible
- This sheds preserver is waterproof for great effectiveness
- This 5 litre exterior wood oil can be applied easily as a top coat to prevent wood stain
- It is low odour and one of the best wood paints in the UK market.
- This wood oil is harmless to plants and pets when dry
Cons
- This wood oil is not rub-resistant like many other options
3. Wood Protection Liquid By Roxil
The third best wood preserver is the Wood Protection Liquid By Roxil. We gave this product a 4.5/5 star rating.
If you are in search of the best wood preservative to keep your woodwork in a good condition, the Roxil Garden Wood Protection Liquid is the ideal choice given its reputation. It is a wood preservative liquid that contains water repellent resins in order to protect vulnerable absorbent woodwork like softwood (spruce, pine) and weathered timbers (red cedar tree, forest oak or dark oak wood). Using brush or a spray to apply this protector is required.
No visible changes can be seen but the exterior wood will remain waterproof. This keeps moisture out and maintains the cleanliness of the woodwork while reducing the rate of discolouration. In addition to protection, algae and mould growth is completely eliminated. To apply this excellent protection, we recommend you to ensure the space is clean, dry and stain free from previous varnish for a swift job.
Before application, you should shake thoroughly for an effortless job. Most products require the first coating to finish it’s drying time before adding another, this pre-treatment wood preservative is best applied on a wet coat. With a single 2 coat application, you usually get a minimum of 10 years of protection on your wooden doorstep, joists or sheds with the Roxil Wood Protection Liquid.
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Pros
- This wax free sort wood paint conserves exterior wood and maintains its appearance
- These exterior wood preservers prevent the wood from warping
- Prevents wood stain as a top coat.
- It guards sheds against wood stain, mould and algae growth
- This wax free version of wood preserver can be applied easily and keeps the moisture out
- This exterior wood preserver offers 10+ years of effective lifespan for sheds, fences and other woodwork which eliminates the need for repaint every year.
Cons
- People found that it gives a non-smooth finish unlike varnish, which can be a factor when choosing
4. Total Wood Preserver By Ronseal
Fourth place goes to the Total Wood Preserver By Ronseal brand name. We gave this preserver a 4.5/5 star rating. Feel free to look at the Amazon site for much more information, price or if you have any question about the details of this amazing product.
Ronseal Total Wood Preserver is specially formulated to kill woodworms and prevent decomposition and deterioration. Designed by one of the best brands for use on both non-smooth and smooth timber, our pick number four is the best wood preserver to get. Ideally, it can be used as a pre-treatment for untreated interior and exterior wood and it is suitable for over-painting.
While coloured wood preservers for outdoors take care of colour and weather protection, this excellent clear wood preservative is key to indoor woodwork conservation. Before treating and painting the woodwork, ensure that the surface is clean, dry and stain free from previous paint coatings, varnish or stains. Our advice – remove the badly damaged untreated or bare woodwork and replace it back with a tanalised wood.
As you prepare to paint, shake well before using it. You could use the standard brush or dipping method of application for complete penetration. And since it is also sprayable, you can use a coarse spray while avoiding misting. To get reliable conservation, good 2 coat application is recommended.
Pros
- This wood preserver kills worms in the timbers and comes from one of the best brands
- It prevents decomposition and deterioration of fences, sheds and other garden woodwork. Also prevents wood stain.
- It is suitable for level overpainting ensuring the perfect experience even as a top coat
- Customers reviews say it is a good 2 coat preserver
- We feel that it gives you great value for money
Cons
- It doesn’t weatherproof the treated timbers which is an issue with a lot of users
- Before treating and painting the woodwork or roofing, you must ensure that the surface is clean, dry and stain-free from previous paint coatings, varnish or staining.
5. Clear Total Wood Preserver By Ronseal
Fifth place on our list goes to the Clear Total Wood Preserver By Ronseal. We gave this product a 4.5/5 star rating.
This clear wood preserver from Ronseal works by preventing decomposition, deterioration and wood discolouring fungus in timber. It is ideal for use on woodwork not to waterproof it but to preserve it. Also, if your woodwork is prone to attacks from woodworm all the time, this Ronseal colourless preserver offers the best protection against woodworm infestation threats on rough sawn or flat planed wood.
Unlike the modern wood oil or wood preservers that contain wax that work by waterproofing the exterior, this exterior wood preservative isn’t waterproof but is key to external woodwork preservation. Before you begin to apply, you should first be able to recognize decomposition and insect attack on the timbers.
Dry decomposition appears as white, fluffy, cotton wool growths, whereas wet rotting causes a once bright wood to darken. When you see small size flight holes on the exterior wood, then there is an insect attack. To use this clear wood preserver, you should thoroughly shake it to remove the hard texture and then use a brush, spray or dip to apply it.
Dipping is recommended for end grains to ensure maximum absorption. For better results, we recommend you to apply more than one coat by giving a one day interval between the coats. When repairing or glueing, wait until the surface has finished it’s drying time.
Pros
- Prevents rot, decomposition, degradation and discoloring elements
- This clear wood preserver protects the treated woodwork against woodworm attack and infestation
- Preserves the exterior of sheds, fences and other woodwork, even the bottom part.
- Reviews say it gives a wax like feel to the wood if used as a top coat, even though it doesn’t contain wax
- This no wax wood preservative spreads with ease which makes it easy to use
- Reviews praise this best wood preservative because of its resistance to weather conditions and clear colour.
Cons
- Customer reviews said that it requires more coats application which reduces coverage, and makes you use a good amount of this mixture
- Reviews dislike that you need to apply more than one coat with one day interval between the coats
6. Lumberjack Triple Action Wood Treatment By Everbuild
Sixth best option in this article is the Lumberjack Triple Action Wood Treatment By Everbuild manufacturer. We gave this product 4.5/5 stars.
Everbuild Triple Action Wood Treatment will treat and seal your woodwork for better preservation. To protect and preserve wood, it contains numerous elements to achieve this. First off, it is a solvent based formula, no odour solution that uses micro-fine active technology (with fungicides, algaecides and permethrin) to actively kill and protect against wet rot and decay, deterioration, mucus and wood boring insects.
It is effortless to spread this Everbuild Triple action wood preservative paint. Also, the drying time is short which is the main reason for great convenience. Unlike most paints, it is nonflammable. You can apply this wood treatment on wet hardwood and performance would not be compromised. In addition, it penetrates deeply in all woodwork, garden furniture items and joinery to enable long lasting protection from all potential damages.
Pros
- These solvent-based wood preservers contain numerous elements to penetrate deeply in woods and joinery for maximum age protection
- It is low on odour to be used around plants and animals
- It can spread even on wet hardwood with no problem
- Ingredients include biocides, substances from nature like variants of algaecides and fungicides for top performance
- This no wax shed wood preservative features fast drying time when used as a top coat
- User reviews love how it is easy to use against water, rot, rain and insects
- Gets the best job done on fences, storage sheds and other garden or house furniture.
Cons
- People find its consistency very watery, meaning it spills to cause a mess on the floor
7. Wood Preserver By Everbuild
Seventh best option is the Wood Preserver By Everbuild. We gave this product a 4.5/5 star rating.
Everbuild solvent-based wood preserver will drive out all fungi and algae on your wood. This is because it is a low solvent formulation which is key for utilisation of micro emulsion technology with added fungicides and algaecides to kill the microorganisms.
The formulations used will penetrate deeply into the woodwork and cladding and disperse finely to provide high-quality effectiveness. To add to it, it contains ultra-light pigments to give a uniform and fade-resistant finish for durability. You can use this garden shed wood preservative on wet hardwood as well because it dries quickly and will look amazing.
Pros
- The solvent-based wood preserver protects the treated wood from damage caused by rot, deterioration and mucus
- It dries fast and gets the job done for sheds, fences and other garden woodwork
- This wood paint preservative goes a long way in protecting timbers and sheds and is easy to use.
- This no wax shed wood preservative keeps the exterior wood fade-free with ultra light pigments
Cons
- People dislike that it does not change the water resistance of the surface
8. Wet Rot Wood Hardener By Ronseal
Eighth best wood preserver is the Wet Rot Wood Hardener By Ronseal. We gave it a 4.5/5 star rating.
Are you living in an area where the wood on your fencing becomes weak often? The Ronseal Wood Hardener is a great solution. It works by penetrating deeply into the wood to bind and harden the already decaying wood to make wood filling easy on the solid base.
This wood preservative is simple to use and apply as it comes at a standard ergonomic design. It is very important for you to shake the hardener vigorously before using so as to get the most satisfactory result.
Pros
- It toughens the wood and gets the job done for fences, sheds and other garden woodwork.
- Happy customers say it is easy to apply
- It is affordable and does a good job against water and moisture.
Cons
- It produces odors when applying
9. Complete Wood Treatment By Cuprinol
Ninth place goes to the Complete Wood Care By Cuprinol. We gave this product a 4/5 star rating.
If you want the perfect solution for eradicating two main enemies of timber (wet/dry rot and insects), turn to this Cuprinol 5star. It is a clear colour wood sealer which contains a formula that kills both dry and wet rot, fungus spores and also wood-boring larvae. When applied, it penetrates deeper in order to ensure effective care and long lasting protection against possible attack in the future.
With a low odour formula, it is the best fence care to work with on most days. This Cuprinol garden shed and fence protector is very easy to apply and leaves a beautiful finish. You should follow the application instructions so that you can achieve a maximum protection for your wood.
Pros
- The shed wood preserver kills, woodworm, dry and wet decomposition and prevent re-infestation of woodworm
- It has low odour, top quality formulas
- This Cuprinol wood preserver is easy to use for all sizes of sheds or floorboards.
- It penetrates deeper for a long time lasting protection
- Gets the job done for fences, sheds and any other garden woodwork.
Cons
- Some consumers say it comes at a higher price compared to similar products in the same range list
10. 1L Clear Wood Preserver By Everbuild
Tenth place goes to the 1 litre Clear Wood Preserver By Everbuild. We gave this product a 4/5 star rating.
If you are in search of the best wood preservative that comes at a cheaper price, then this Everbuild wood preserver should be a perfect choice. It is made to prevent wood rot and decay and also kills fungus and algae on your woodwork.
Many wood preservatives in colours offer the same protection as this clear one but they cannot be overcoated. It guarantees maximum elimination of algae and fungi on your wood without much effort on your side. It penetrates deep down into your wood and contains ultralight pigments so that you can achieve a uniform, fade-resistant finish.
Pros
- It dries fast on sheds, fences and other woodwork.
- These preservatives are easy to use and do a great job with each coat.
- It provides protection against decomposition and deterioration that would last for years
- This clear paint preservative is harmless to plants and pets
- These easy to use preservers are great products to use and go a long way providing long life to sheds and protecting against rain and fungi
Cons
- On the other side, it is watery so it can cause a mess during direct application
A Guide To Wood Preserver
Wood, especially when placed in the outdoors, is susceptible to weather and insect damage. It makes it lose its appeal. Besides using decking oil, applying shed paint on your garden shed and investing in good fence paint, use a wood preserver.
Applying a wood preserver on your wooden surfaces will prevent the growth of moulds and algae. It will repel insects and provide a layer of protection against damage by the sun and rain. But you need a quality wood preserver, and we will be happy to guide you through making the best choice.
What You Need To Know
Before buying a wood preservative you need to know that there are preservatives to use on different surfaces. A couple of tips – to make sure you get the right performance on outdoor wood preservatives, it is required to use them where they are intended. A wax or oil based wood preservative is one that formulated with solvents that contain wax or boiled linseed wood oil and mineral spirits to be used mostly on exterior wood.
This type produces odor and it creates a wax or oily finish and either changes the color of the wood or affect Paint-ability. Solvents in a wood oil or wax based garden shed wood treatments are responsible for preventing all types of cracks, swelling and separation at the grains. They are best used on above floor wood like roof or sill plates, garden sheds and fences. Wickes creocote or Creosote substitute is an example.
Water based wood preservatives are suspended in water with small amounts of chemicals added to deeply penetrate in the woodwork. These work from the inside to kill woodworm, mucus, and algae and resist leaching after treatment. They are taylor made for use on ground woodwork. The water-based are safe for environment and to use around plants and pets and they do not produce odor. Depending on your project, you can choose between the two.
There are a lot of factors. Some wood preservatives provide a waterproof finish and others don’t. A sealer with waterproof properties prevent wood from rotting and decaying. Thompsons is a wood preservative brand that produces waterproofing sealers. However, the wood preservative that doesn’t waterproof the area provides protection from inside like eradicating all types of woodworm, fungi and algae. Sadolin outdoor wood preserver is the perfect evidence.
Clear or colored wood preservative? A clear wood preserver used as a basecoat penetrates deep in the wood to highlight the wood grains and protect against UV rays that causes the wood to discolor. It also has properties that repel water to prevent the wood from rotting and decaying. Clear wood preservers allow for layer overcoating.
Wood preservatives colours on the other hand, don’t have the same protection as the clear preservatives, on most days. This, of course, is because they lack properties to repel water and resist fungus growth. They just enhance the natural beauty of the light brown timber during summer. You can either get them in shades of green, light brown and red.
Something to consider when buying wood preservatives is the cost. In a sense that there are those that come at a very high price and others are cheap. The high-end wood preservatives give great performance and long time lasting effects.
Medium priced are most affordable and they also give reliable wood preservation. Cheaper wood preservatives will only serve the purpose for a short time. In fact, you will need to treat the wood more often when you buy these.
Wood Preserver FAQs
Q: What is pressure treating in wood?
A: It is a process used in preserving wood using chemicals that enables it to eradicate wood boring insects, microorganisms and fungal deterioration. This process works on softwood.
Q: Can I smoothen the areas before applying wood preservative?
A: Yes you can but is it not really necessary. But in case you want a polished finish, lay down the woodwork and use a sander to get smoother results.
Q: What is another alternative for wood?
A: In the society today, you can use uPVC material to build any kind of building, though they are more limited than wood, they don’t require maintenance in terms of preservation. They don’t rot, or get attacked by termites or even swell.
Q: Which treatment is good to use on bird wood burning patterns?
A: On most days decking wood oil or wax treatments are great for protecting wood burning arts.
