TALOS CORE™ Strength Within. Built to Endure.
An engineered timber gate system from Winder Joinery.
1. Hero
An engineered timber gate system from Winder Joinery, combining the durability and stability of Accoya with concealed structural stainless steel reinforcement.
Created for demanding gate applications where the beauty of real timber is required, but strength, rigidity and long-term stability cannot be compromised.
2. What is Talos Core?
Talos Core™ is our approach to engineering large timber gates beyond the practical limits of conventional timber construction. At the heart of each gate is concealed structural stainless steel reinforcement, engineered into the timber construction. The stainless steel provides internal strength and rigidity while Accoya forms the durable, stable timber exterior.
Once complete, the reinforcement disappears inside the gate. What remains is a genuine timber gate with strength built into its core.
3. Born from a problem
Talos Core began with a project that conventional timber gate construction could not easily solve. A customer required an automated sliding timber gate 4.2 metres long and just 48 mm thick. The installation had originally been prepared for a much thinner steel gate with composite boarding. The track, groundworks and electrical installation were already in place, so the timber gate had to work within that restricted thickness. Planning and conservation requirements then meant that the proposed steel and composite gate could not be
used and a timber solution was required. The combination of a 4.2 metre span, a restricted 48 mm overall thickness and the accuracy required for an automated sliding system created a difficult engineering problem. After other joinery manufacturers declined the project, Winder Joinery took it on. The solution was to combine Accoya timber with concealed structural stainless steel reinforcement. The completed gate was installed in December 2023.
4. Proven in the real world
The original Talos Core gate has now been in service for approaching three years, exposed year-round to the British weather in an elevated, exposed location on Sheffield's western edge, close to the Peak District moorland. It continues to operate as intended, providing real-world evidence for the principle on which Talos Core was developed.
5. Why it matters for automated gates
Automated sliding gates depend on consistent alignment through their track, guides and operating equipment. With very large timber gates, natural movement can make that a more demanding proposition. Talos Core is designed with that challenge in mind. Its concealed structural stainless steel reinforcement adds rigidity to the timber structure, making the system particularly relevant to large sliding and automated gate applications.
6. Built around the project
The original gate proves that Talos Core can be engineered to a finished thickness of just 48 mm where a project demands it. That dimension was specific to the constraints of the first installation, rather than a limitation of the system. For new projects, the construction can be specified more substantially. Our intended standard construction uses 3-inch Ipe stock, producing a finished gate approximately 65 mm thick and allowing an even more substantial, rigid structure.
This gives Talos Core useful flexibility: the gate can be engineered around the requirements of the opening, automation system, site and design, rather than forcing every project into a single standard thickness.
7. Why Accoya?
Accoya was chosen because of its durability and exceptional dimensional stability for exterior use. Combined with the concealed stainless steel structural core, it allows us to retain the appearance and character of real timber while approaching the gate as an engineered structure.
8. Why Talos?
In Greek mythology, Talos was an engineered guardian, created to protect and endure. The name reflects the principles behind the system: engineering, protection, endurance and hidden strength. The Talos Core emblem tells the same story. The outer form represents the timber structure, while the central section represents the concealed stainless steel core within.
9. Enquiries
Planning a large, automated or unusual timber gate? Talos Core gates are made to order around the requirements of each project. Speak to Winder Joinery about the opening, size, installation and design you have in mind.