How soon should we oil a new Merbau deck?

[tremas]

Hi, we've just had a merbau deck built. Interested in thoughts on how soon we should oil it. My main concern is that we plan to have people over in a week or so and am worried about any spills (food/drink) that may stain the unoiled deck - would i be able to remove these if they happened?  From what I've read, it seems it's best to let it weather for about 6-8 weeks before oiling.

The deck is exposed and north facing, so gets lots of sun. Not sure of that's a factor in oiling sooner?

Thanks for any advice.

[EricL]

Hello @AmandaM11 

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's sensational to have you join us.

Let me tag @tremas to make them aware of your kind words and question. I totally agree the finish on tremas's deck is outstanding. It would be good to know what product they used to get such a finish.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.  

Eric

[tremas]

Thanks @AmandaM11, I think it was this one https://www.bunnings.com.au/intergrain-4l-natural-ultradeck-timber-decking-oil_p1520074 

But I'll check tomorrow that it wasn't the Merbau one they also have. But definitely Intergrain. Have had no issues with it - we had re oiled every year, with the exception of last year when we didn't think it needed it. So now it really needs it!

[tremas]

Yes, it's the natural one

[grzes]

Same as Sarah, I am just building mine and are ready to lie down boards 

I have  a big deck and would like to do this in 2-3 hits as price for full deck would be a bit hard for me 

can I do this way applying all recomended task given here ?

thanks Greg 

 

[MitchellMc]

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @grzes. It's sensational to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about constructing a deck.

There’s no issue with doing your deck in sections and sealing the boards as you go. If you’re leaving the Merbau timber exposed for a while, it can naturally weather for up to around two and a half months before it absolutely needs sealing, which is fine for it to start settling in. Alternatively, if you want to get a head start, you can lay the boards, give them a clean with a timber prep product, and oil them straight away. Doing it in stages over time is perfectly fine, so you don’t need to tackle the whole deck at once.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell
 

[grzes]

Thank you for your prompt reply 

will do this way with natural way 

one mor question 

is there any tip for using Bunnings boards who are plain flat on both sides de is there any advantage to paint/ protect the joists 

is that really worst air penetration than boards with grove? 

[MitchellMc]

In regard to the boards being plain and flat on both sides @grzes, that’s completely normal for hardwood decking like merbau. You’ll usually only see grooves on the underside of softwood decking, such as treated pine. Those grooves are there to help with moisture movement and drying because softwoods are more prone to holding water and decaying if moisture gets trapped. Hardwood decking doesn’t generally need this, as it’s denser and far more resistant to moisture-related issues.

There is definitely an advantage to protecting the joists, regardless of the type of decking used. Water can sit between the decking boards and the joists, especially in shaded or poorly ventilated areas, and over time that can lead to rot in the joists. Using a joist protector over the tops of the joists helps prevent water from soaking into the timber and can significantly extend the life of the structure underneath.

That said, many decks are built without joist protection and still last a long time, particularly if they have good drainage and airflow. Joist protection is more about long-term durability than it is a strict requirement. If you’re looking to do things once and do them well, it’s a worthwhile addition, but your deck won’t automatically fail without it.

Mitchell