When to re-oil a deck?

[cassy1]

Hi all,

My home was completed in July 2024. I have a covered deck - half of which is midge meshed and is very protected from the elements being covered in rugs and positionally, it doesn't have the sun or rain on it. 

The exposed half of the deck is exposed to strong QLD afternoon sun and rain does come in. 

I  re-oiled the exposed half with Cabots Natural decking Oil in March 2025. Granted I was a bit late to re-oil and probably should have done it before summer but as at that stage it would have only been 6 months old I didn't think it would need it.

Questions

1, When should I re oil the exposed half given it was done 7 or so months ago.

2, Should I, as routine, re oil the unexposed half this year before summer.

Thank you for your thoughts.

C

[JacobZ]

Hi @cassy1,

Generally speaking, a deck should be oiled every 6-12 months, although the location and conditions can have a large effect on this. If you had some photos of your deck, it would help us understand what you're working with and offer our best advice.

For the exposed half, given that you last oiled it in March, it would likely be ideal to give it another coat now, before summer. Look for signs such as fading colour, dryness, or water no longer beading on the surface; those signs indicate the oil protection has thinned out. 

For the covered half, you can likely stretch the interval out to every 18–24 months, or as needed. Since it’s protected from the sun and rain, over-oiling can actually make it sticky or attract dust. Instead, just clean it periodically and only re-oil when you see dullness or dryness in the timber.

In short: re-oil the exposed area now and hold off on the protected section until next year unless it starts to look dry. That will keep your deck looking great and ensure both areas are protected appropriately for their conditions.

Let me know what you think, and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob

[cassy1]

Hi Jacob,

Thank you so much for this info. This is my first time maintaining a deck and I don't think I did a very good job of re-oiling - I maybe used too much oil or after reading your message maybe it is fading really quickly.

I've attached some pics of the exposed half.

The pic shows the  half of the deck that gets all the sun.  Top right is the corner that only gets the  last few rays of the day. Water is still beading well. The majority of the rest of the deck  gets the brunt of the day's afternoon sun. No longer beading and it is faded.

Thank you again. I will be oiling it very soon!

Cheers, 

C

[JacobZ]

Hi @cassy1,

Yeah, there is definitely some fading going on. I'd give it a good clean with some Cabot's Deck Clean and an Oates Compact Deck Scrub Brush, allow it to dry, then apply a thin coat of your decking oil to the faded area.

The cleaning step is essential as it will remove any surface contaminants that can affect the absorption of the oil. 

You also want to go thinner rather than thicker on your application because you want the oil to soak in, not form a film on the surface. When starting out, two thin coats are better than one thick one, and for reoiling purposes, one thin coat should be enough.

Deck maintenance, particularly timing, can be tricky to nail, but the fact that you are showing interest and care tells me you will do fine. In a few years, it'll be second nature.

Good luck and let me know if there is anything else I can assist with.

Jacob

[cassy1]

Ah thank you so much for this info.

I used  the Cabot's deck cleaner but I didn't use a brush so perhaps it wasn't as clean as it could have been. 

Thank you again.

Cheers, C

[cassy1]

hi Jacob,

Continuing from the deck conversation ... I have re oiled it and the steps. I did one thin coat this time being mindful of putting too much on and by and large it looks good. The pic shows the steps after a downpour - should I put another coat on the steps?

Something that does annoy me though is it still leave footprints when walked on. I gave it 4 days (dry though a little humid) before I walked on it yet it still leave footprints. Why is this?

Cheers,

Carole

 

[JacobZ]

Hi Carole (@cassy1),

I don't think it needs another coat based on what I'm seeing. It is quite clearly not soaking in and is beading off at the ends of the steps. In saying this, checking the underside of the timber when it has dried is a good indicator. If the bottom of the step is damp, while the top is dry, then water may be getting in through the top, which would imply it needs more work.

Do you have any photos of the areas where you are getting footprints?

This usually happens when a bit of oil remains on the surface instead of fully penetrating the timber. High humidity can slow curing, so even after four days, the surface might still be a little tacky.  Oils cure by reacting with oxygen, so in humid conditions, that process takes longer, and it might just mean you need to wait a few more days for it to fully cure.

If it persists after another 3-4 days, try wiping the surface down with a clean cloth, slightly dampened with mineral turpentine. This should help to remove any excess residue.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[cassy1]

Thank you,

Ok so I will check the steps when the rain stops!

The pic shows footprint and I have mats/towels down now to stop walking on it but I don't want them there all the time! Ok the turps sounds like a really good idea and I will do that after the rain. I do live in sth East QLD where it is quite humid so that all makes sense. I'm probably being very picky with the footprints but it really ruins the lovely look of the deck.

Thank you again,

Carole