England 19/06/2013 – Modern preservatives, new sources of renewable timber and even the price of metal are all making wooden gates more desirable to UK consumers.
Sales of wooden gates in Cheshire and many other rural parts of the UK are climbing steadily. There are several reasons for this, some of which are quite surprising.
The fact the price of these gates has come down as manufacturers take advantage of new sources of timber is probably the main driver behind increasing demand for them. Improved production techniques have reduced labour at all stages, which has also helped to bring prices down.
The cost of raw materials used in other types of gates has also gone up at the same time, which has also played a role in the popularity of timber gates. The price of metal gates, in particular, has risen as the price of wooden ones has fallen. This has effectively levelled the playing field and made it viable for consumers to consider both types of gateways rather than automatically buying a metal one, as most would have done in the past.
As the rising price of alloy has lead to a drastic increase in metal thefts is also helping wooden gate sales. People know that a timber gate is far less likely to be stolen, which is also making them more attractive to consumers.
Most modern lumber is pre-treated, seasoned and compressed. This means that there is far less chance of it swelling or rotting. Modern preservatives are also more effective. These preservatives are easy to apply and they provide far better protection than more traditional versions, this means that modern wooden gates require very little maintenance.
Wooden gates also selling well in urban areas
Chelford Farm Supplies sell a huge range of wooden gates, so naturally they have benefitted from this move away from metal. In the past, their customers were mainly landowners and farmers. Today, more and more of their customers are urban homeowners who appreciate the beauty of wood as well as the fact it is practical. Changing tastes are also helping to boost demand as people try to make their homes stand out from others in the area. Sophisticated styles, such as tongue and grove Suffolk and Essex gates are especially popular, but sales of simpler designs such as Iroko ranch gateways are also growing.