Scheduled visit
Pergola or gate joints opening up
The joints in a timber pergola, fence or gate are opening, ends are splitting, and the finish has gone grey and rough. Outdoor timber in Dubai faces fierce sun and wetting from irrigation, and the joints show the movement first.
Carpentry
Scheduled work. A door or lock that will not secure is prioritised.
Call nowRequest a carpentry visit on WhatsApp01LIKELY CAUSES
What usually sits behind this symptom, and what tells one cause from another.
UV and heat drying and splitting unprotected timber
Grey, checked surface; finish worn away on exposed faces.
Irrigation spray wetting the timber repeatedly
Rot or swelling at the base and on faces in the spray path.
Fixings corroded or loosened
Bolts rusted; joints move when loaded.
02BEFORE ANYONE VISITS
What you can safely check.
- Push on posts and beams — is there movement at the joints?
- Check whether sprinklers wet the timber.
- Look for soft or crumbling wood at the base of posts.
- Avoid hanging heavy items from a pergola with loose joints.
03WHAT WE MEASURE
We check joints, fixings and timber condition, probe for rot at bases and joints, and decide whether the structure can be tightened and refinished or needs sections replaced.
04IN A VILLA
Villa gardens put timber structures in full sun and in the path of irrigation, a combination that dries and wets the wood daily. Joints open and fixings corrode much faster than in temperate climates.
05THE FIX
Which repair, and when.
Loose joints and rot weaken the structure, which can become unsafe in strong winds.
Tighten or replace fixings and refinish
Timber is sound but joints have loosened.
Replace rotten or split sections
Timber has degraded.
Redirect irrigation away from timber
Spray is wetting the structure.
06Typical villa carpentry work
AED 150 – 400 for a door adjustment, AED 300 – 900 for leaf or frame repair
Indicative market ranges, not a quotation — a firm price follows inspection. Wardrobe hinge and runner replacement typically falls between AED 150 and AED 500 per item.
07QUESTIONS
- How often should outdoor timber be refinished?
- Far more often in Dubai's sun than in cooler climates. The condition of the finish is the guide.
- Should I switch to aluminium?
- It is an option for low maintenance; repairing sound timber is often cheaper.