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How to freshen up our deck?

Hi all,

Havr found this site helpful before so am now after some more advice if possible.

We’ve a large deck at home (plus also a front porch of the same material) that is 5 years old. It’s spotted gum and whilst we were good at maintaining it early on, I don’t think we’ve oiled it now for a year or so at least and it’s starting to show (see pics attached).

I would like to sand the whole thing back and re-coat it to freshen it up. My main query is what to re-coat/oil the deck in?

When we first had it done I absolutely loved the raw spotted gum and wanted it coated/oiled so we could see that but the tradie used an oil with a stain so whilst it looked lovely and new and shiny, you couldn’t tell the would was spotted gum and I thought it looked just like shiny brown wood, I had wanted something natural looking to protect it. The last photo shows an area of deck that is undercover and still in good condition but you can see the colour I’m talking about.

Many suggestions on how to go about this job (it’s quite big but I like a challenge) but mainly about what to protect the deck with once sanded, to have a more natural timber look, would be great. I have a feeling it’s an Intergrain oil that was initially used when new and that my husband used to subsequently maintain the deck each year. The deck faces north with a large chunk out in the open and a smaller amount under cover.
The porch which is also spotted gum needs doing as well, isn’t as bad faces south but does cop the elements also.

Many thanks in advance.

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Comments

MitchellMc

Hi @hughesie,

Before you sand the deck back, I'd recommend you try giving it a good scrub down with a stiff bristle scrubbing brush and Feast Watson Woodclean. You'll need to do two applications, but I think you'll be very surprised at how well it strips that colouring and rejuvenates the timber. Of course, if the timber is splintering or rough or the product doesn't strip the colour adequately, then it would be worth sanding. Sanding is a big job, though, so if you can avoid it, all the better.

For a natural look to your timber, you would go with a Natural oil that doesn't contain pigments. Pigmented oils are really only for a deck that's lost its colour, and you wish to restore it.

I recommend you pick up a deck oil applicator, and once you're done oiling the deck, pop it away in the shed with the remainder of the can. Try and give your deck a quick oiling once a year. Even on a large deck, it should only take 30mins to whip over the whole thing. Doing a quick yearly oil can save considerable effort in the long run.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

hughesie

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/26045#Comment_26045

Thanks for the reply and information Mitchell. Think i’ll give that stripping product a trial on the small laundry door step that is decking and see how I go before tackling the larger deck. Sounds good thankyou!

Just wanted to check how careful i need to be up against walls that have painted render. Will it strip the walls colour if it comes into contact with it?

Secondly, a lot of the oils you linked me to for re-coating, even though they say they are natural, so many reviews say they have a colour.
Further goggling has brought up Cutek oils and lots of good reviews. Wondering your opinion on that product? Sounds quite different to what was used on ours which i’m now certain was water based and just leaving a constant brown built up /film over the top of the timber.

Thanks in advance,

MitchellMc

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/comment/75741#Comment_75741

Hi Jo (@hughesie),

I'd suggest wetting the wall down before starting to use the cleaner on the deck or, better yet, tape painting drop sheets over the wall to protect the render.

All oils will change the colour of timber, but that doesn't necessarily mean they have a stain/colour in them. It's the same effect as wetting raw timber with water, it goes a much darker colour. The main thing to stay away from if you want to keep the natural timber colour is oil and stain combos similar to what has been used on your deck. These are heavily pigmented towards the timber colour they are trying to replicate. They are designed for decks of that species of timber where they have greyed and lost colour. The included pigments return the faded timber.

I can see that some of our Natural decking oils are lightly pigmented. I'd hazard a guess this could quite likely be due to needing a slight pigment for UV protection. The pigments included in a natural oil should be far less than a stain combo. I'd suggest you pick some up and try a test section.

As we don't range Cutek oils I am unfamiliar with their performance.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell

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