Decking Oils.

[Dr - 307]

I've been reading some threads on prepping and coating decks. Alot of contributors are saying to let the timber bleed for 3 - 6 months before coating. What I'm asking is -
1. Do the pro's tell their client that they'll be back in three months to coat the deck? I think not, maybe I'm wrong.
2. Who knows anything about Intergrain Ultradeck (not DWD). I want a natural untinted finish. I don't want to be buiding up layers of color everytime I re-coat so the color is getting darker and darker till I eventually lose the grain.
I've previously used Cabots Decking Oil and I'll never use it again 'cause it just keeps darkening the timber everytime you coat and now it just looks brown with no grain.
I recently used Aqua Oil for the first time and that looks great but don't know it's longevity.

Would love your imput,
Cheers,
Dr - 307.

[SilentButDeadly]

Anything based on Tung Oil will darken the grain over time....but so will many of the typical deck timbers as well. Mostly due to oxidisation which is what is actually protecting the timber surface.

We are using the Intergrain Decking Oil (good product) on our red gum deck and it darkens it but then the RG darkens by itself in the sun too. Nice wide boards however let the grain come through.....most decking boards these days are too narrow to see much grain and are made from the sort of hardwoods that doesn't have much visible grain in the first place...

What timber is your deck?

[Dr - 307]

Silentbutdeadly.......love it.

Thanks for replying. My deck is merbau. I want to keep it as red and as natural in color as long as possible. I understand a little darkening. I just don't want it going brown opaque so to speak.

Dr - 307.:U

[SilentButDeadly]

The only way then is to protect the timber from UV and oxygen.....which there's not much about to deal with that that ain't polyurethane....

[Dr - 307]

SBD,

I used an oil called Aqua Oil. That looked grouse. I take it you are using Ultragrain Ultradeck?

Dr - 307.

[johnmurrell]

Hi

I have used Intergrain Ultradeck - the "water based" oil finish. It has a lot of pigment that needs a lot of brushing to get an even finish. The "water based" oil penetrates easily, leaving you with the pigment to try to brush to an even finish. It looked good when it was done - except for the splatter from all the extra brushing - had a brain fade and didn't cover EVERYTHING . I'll now only use real "oil".

[Dr - 307]

Hi John,

Thanks for the 'inside info'. I actually came across Spa n Deck at Bunnings yesterday. I think I'll be using that. I'll talk to Jim about it when I'm ready. He is after all the resident expert on S n D.

Cheers,
Dr - 307.

[SilentButDeadly]

SBD,

I used an oil called Aqua Oil. That looked grouse. I take it you are using Ultragrain Ultradeck?

Dr - 307.


Nope. http://www.intergrain.com.au/images/products/large_natures_timber_oil.jpg http://www.intergrain.com.au/naturestimber.html

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r30/LittleCowra/RRGdetail.jpg This was after two coats but before the sun begins to brown it

[Dr - 307]

I think I might go with the Spa n Deck stuff. The forum has a lot of satisfied users.

Cheers for the help,
Dr - 307.

[dan76n]

I really like the look I got with cabots decking oil but am in the process of changing to spa n deck due to how long it lasts. I think oil looks better than the spa n deck but oil just doesnt hold up in the QLD sun.

[Dr - 307]

Looking thru a brochures of Intergrain and Feast & Watson and realised they are both owned by the same company. Interesting.......

[want2learn]

Great thread, sorry to hijack, i'm just about to stain my merbau fence and was wondering which stain to go, i too would like the natural look to stay and not darken over time from re staining.

I see spa n deck have a natural and a honey stain does anyone know what is generally used for a natural look on merbau? Would the honey natural change the complete look of the merbau?

I pretty much like the way it looks when its wet, is it possible to get that look with a stain?

[Dr - 307]

Thinking and thinking and thinking......I was decided on Spa n Deck but now not sure. Don't know. I think I'll stick to what I know and go with an oil. Wanted to keep as much grain as possible. The Spa n Deck will hide alot of it especially with subsequent applications. Really f**ked if I know. i thought when I first started building decks and verandahs that span tables were hard. Picking a finish for the deck is bloody harder. Whatever I choose, I definetely want to keep away from the 'opaque' look.

[want2learn]

You've got me stuff then :D, i still have no idea and i'm in 10 minds, and can't stick to what i know as i don't know anything to start with.

[oohsam]

Im in the same boat. I am bout to oil my deck and need somethig nice. Since i have 140mm boards, you can actually see grain in the boards at the moment. They have weathered for the past few weeks, just coz I was a bit slow and didnt finish. but My handrail posts are cypress. I just sanded them down adn they look nice. I was going to use the same oil on the deck as I do on the posts. So Im looking for an oil oil. LOL if that makes sense.
I built a merbau letterbox a year ago and used some "timber oil" ill find out the brand, and it looks real nice.
I'll stick to real oil I think Dunno what brand it is but i'll let you know. Cheers.

[Mick Nash]

Do check out Decks Oljay.
To answer one of your first questions, No, I would not come back months later to oil the deck.
I use Auxilic(spell) acid to quikly bleech the surface, This takes out the oils in the very surface and allows any finnish put on to soak in a bit.
It is particularly required when finnishing teak boat decks.

[oohsam]

I think you mean Deks Olje.
The stuff is good but its very very very expensive.
Another problem with this is it stains metal, as in your nails or stainless steel deck screws.
I've never seen the product used but i read about it and it looks good. Saturating the wood with its stuff and protecting it. Mainly used in marine areas.

here is the link.
http://www.floodaustralia.net/products/deksolje.htm

[Mick Nash]

Thats the stuff, It cost about $45-50 for four litres. Comes in mat or gloss. You can mix the two to atain your own gloss level. Several coats of mat(No1) are aplied first then the thicker gloss or no gloss at all.
I love the stuff, easy to apply, easy to recote once or twice a year.
Ive not noticed any metal staining but ill look a little closer now.

[oohsam]

U sure its that cheap...I seen it for 60 bux a litre..Hmm...
I might have to investigate. Where did you get it from. Onlyl issue I see with it, it says you have to apply the second coat etc etc until the 6th within 15mins of the previous coat leaving the timber still wet. I have a big deck and that would be very hard to do..espcially ona sunny day!

[Mick Nash]

Yep thats right, but you dont paint it on with a brush and it dont dry too fast. You can use a paint roller or even a mop, where a pair of thongs and just keep it going on. You dont have to worry obout foot marks, or edge lines they all disapear as it(No1) has the consistancy of petrol.
I find that 1/2-1/2 No1 and No2 is enough gloss for the final coat.
If you require more gloss then just whack more on.
What I especialy like about the product is how easy it is to fix mild scratches or high wear ereas, Just clean the area and slop some more on.
The new coat seems to meld into the old.
Try whitworths marine stores for price, I last bought several tins of it a while ago now

[oohsam]

So you put on a few coats of No.1 and then for the final coat you mix no1 and no2 and put 1 coat of that on?

[Mick Nash]

That what I do, or you could use No2 neat as a final coat.
or use only No 1
Id test first as it is a petrolium based product, It will darken the timber. But I like that. I dont think there is an oil that wont. And water based looks crap after 12 months or sooner.
With deks, your deck will start to grey and weather after 12 months,(No1 only), couple of new coats(no sanding) and Baam, She,s good again.

[johnmurrell]

Looking thru a brochures of Intergrain and Feast & Watson and realised they are both owned by the same company. Interesting.......

and so is Cabot's.. all made by Orica.

The Intergrain and Cabot's waterbased "oil" products are slightly different though - their MSDS's list different ingredients.

[johnmurrell]

... i too would like the natural look to stay and not darken over time from re staining.

I see spa n deck have a natural and a honey stain does anyone know what is generally used for a natural look on merbau? Would the honey natural change the complete look of the merbau?

I pretty much like the way it looks when its wet, is it possible to get that look with a stain?

Hi

I was going to use S'n'D "natural" on a deck, so tested it... and it is bright orange:o - probably not what you are hoping for.

[MelbMan]

Redoing my sisters verandah in inner Melbourne, it's Merbau facing east and the local hardware guy recommended Sceneys old fashioned weatherproof oil... in fact he swore by it. It's about $35 for 2 litres.. I think we can get away with a 1 litre can for her.

I see Cabots Aquadeck on special at Mitre 10, 4 litres for $59.95 with a bonus roller kit.

I also have an east facing verandah to do in a house up near Mildura. Cold at night, very hot (middle to high 40's during the day).

Wondering guys which oil to go with? The Mildura house is a rental and I'm not going to get there more than twice a year max so something long lasting would be good.

I was hoping for a Jarrah finish.. the Mildura house is around 1920, hardwood verandah but not sure what sort timber a house of that vintage would have. I was hoping for a glossy sealed finish like you'd see on interior floors but that might be out of the question for outside?

Thanks John.

[Loki429]

recommended Sceneys old fashioned weatherproof oil...

I see Cabots Aquadeck on special at Mitre 10, 4 litres for $59.95 with a bonus roller kit.



I used Sceneys Weatherproff Timber & Decking Oil on a dog kennel I built a while ago. I wasn't happy with the result :(
The timber went black and mouldy in a fairly short time. On closer inspection of the tin it turns out it has linseed oil in it which is known to attract/cause mould.
I've also just used Cabots Aquadeck on the roof members of a covered deck I am in the process of building and am happy with the result there. However I don't believe it brings out the full grain and colour of the timber so will not be using it for the decking. (For that I will be using Feast & Watson.) Its very easy to apply and goes in with a funny milky colour which makes it easy to see where you are up to.

Good luck!

[MelbMan]

Well my sisters verandah is done...it's actually Merbau pickets with small gaps betweeen them. She's about 15km away so all of last week it was a series of trips down there and back late afternoon. Power washed with recycled water then punching the nails down. Then over it with a ROS and finally Sat the first coat of Sceneys Old fashioned weatherproof oil.

It's not a big area... about 6.5 sq metres and I did about the first third or so with a 63mm brush. But other committments called (SWMBO wanted to go out) so at a quarter to five it was around to the local hardware for a paint tray and broke out a normal paint roller with a long handle my sister already had. Wow that really covers the area quick compared to a brush. While going around there I got her to cut in the deck close to the front wall of the house but later on I think you could have done this just as well with the roller using it 90 degrees to the front wall. Looking at my work afterwards I wondered if the roller had done as good a job as the brush but the next day it was pretty much impossible to tell the difference.

Back on the Sun afternoon to do the final coat.. all by roller. This oil is a bit deceptive as it changes colour as it dries and the second coat def gives more colour than the first. She says this morning (24 hours after the 2nd coat) that it looks more like redgum or Jarrah now.

Theoretically we should have been able to do 2 coats on an area this size with a 1 litre can. Perhaps it was the roller, perhaps the wood was very dry (she's been there 14 years and this is the first time this has been painted in this time) but there was virtually nothing left in the 2l can when we finished.

She seemed happy enough... I'll reserve my judgement. With all the trips to and fro and carting all my bits and pieces back and forth it seemed quite a lot of work. Merbau is a very hard to work with and whoever painted this house last dripped a bit of paint on the verandah. Despite some sanding (perhaps not enough?) this old paint bled through the final finish.

I suspect I'm a bit more of a perfectionist than a lot of women including sis and SWMBO. SWMBO is in fact a woman who likes to see things done and finished rather than perfection. It took me a little while to find this out. If I was doing it again I might spend some extra time sanding but merbau is very hard and difficult to work with.

Perhaps working as well with old materials, an old house expecting a new looking finish is over ambitous compared to building something with new materials.

But the roller is def king as far as speed is concerned. I learnt that much.
Sis rang up this morning to say the overnight rain had beaded on the deck so I guess thats a good sign.

Based on this I wouldn't want to be a deck oil applicator or a flooring guy for that matter for a living. A Karcher patio and hard floor cleaner? Yes.. thats fun and brings things up like new.

The next project is a verandah 400km out of Melbourne where the current finish is some sort of burgundy paint. It's more like 10 sq metres. The original plan was to power wash this, hit it with paint stripper and then sand. Based on sis's verandah I'm not sure if the Makita with 80 grit paper is aggressive enough for this. Not sure whether the orbit is not big enought in circumferance or whether it was the hardness of the Merbau. Perhaps a coarser paper might be quicker? But what ever I use (a belt sander is tempting) will have to make sure all the paint is off next time depending on what final finish we use.