Our Materials
Our Materials
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Accoya®
We use Accoya wood to produce the main framework of our greenhouses with exceptional results in terms of performance and looks. It is manufactured using a proprietary acetylation process to create a non-toxic, high performance wood product. The modification process chemically alters the wood’s free hydroxyls into stable acetyl groups. This means the ability of the wood to absorb water is greatly reduced, rendering Accoya dimensionally stable and extremely durable.
Swelling and shrinkage is reduced by 75%. It is guaranteed for 50 years above ground with a minimum service life of 70 years, and it’s ideal for paint: it’s improved stability meaning coatings last twice as long. Sustainably sourced and more environmentally friendly than other materials, it actively removes CO2 over its life cycle.-
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Aluminium
With such a compelling case for the timber we use, both from a performance and environmental perspective, why do we continue to use aluminium in the roof? The simple answer is maintenance. Despite an unbeatable coating lifetime performance when the right paint is applied in the right way to Accoya, there will be some maintenance at some point, and especially with larger structures, this can be a daunting task.
Aluminium is one of the world’s most abundant elements and highly recyclable. Durable, strong, light and almost maintenance-free (clean dead leaves off now and then), it is the perfect material for a long-lasting roof structure and it’s this maintenance-free roof combined with the traditional painted timber frames that is unique to us.
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Paint
We use a high quality, low-VOC paint system designed to withstand the harshest climates and protect from UV light, rain, humidity, cold, and heat. Specially developed for compatibility with Accoya and independently tested, Teknos paints come with an up to 12-year recoating warranty, which means less of a maintenance headache as well as contributing to the overall longevity of the greenhouse.
In alignment with us Teknos also place sustainability at the heart of their activities, constantly seeking to reduce VOC levels, increase durability, phase out hazardous ingredients, reduce resource depletion, improve air quality and recycle raw materials.
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Ironmongery
Established in 1868, our supplier relies on 5 generations of skill and experience to make the finest architectural hardware. Our choice of lever handle is cast from solid brass and then hand-finished, polished, and left unlacquered to allow the patina to develop from natural oxidisation. It’s a classic, elegant design with a nod to the geometry that underpins every White Cottage greenhouse.
Whilst the unlacquered finish will become dull and darken over time, if left untouched, it’s very easy to bring it back to its original sheen with a cloth, a metal polish, and a little elbow grease. If you live in a more exposed, coastal location, you may need to do this a little more often, but the hardware will last for generations to come.
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