Deck Maintenance and coatings

[UteMad]

Wouldn't it be good if deck oiling and washing and coating was a simpler task, it would save a lot of confusion for the customers we build and generally coat decks for further down the track....

Here is a place finally where we can all voice our opinions on the subject

cheers utemad

www.dialadeck.com.au

[jimj]

I would like to concur with utemad. There are many products in the market and it is a very confusing decision to choose a product that will last and be easy to both apply and reapply. The other difficult issue is how to remove the old coating and returning the timber back to clean bare wood. There is a lot of information and misinformation and it does take a fair bit of effort to sift through the information and then hope your decision will work. It does require a fair bit of work. knowledge and cost.

jimj www.restore-a-deck.com.au

[strangerep]

Everyone seems to have varying opinions on how long one should
leave a deck to weather, but (IMHO) there's a point which is not
discussed much: the optimum length of weathering time depends
on both the timber species, and how much rainfall is actually
landing on the deck during the period. In very dry climates
with little rain, far less leaching of extractives occurs in a
given time period compared to wetter climates.

So the real question is: "what objective test can one use to
determine if one's own deck has been washed enough?"
I think the answer's easy enough: pour some water onto
various places on the deck after sunset (i.e: when it's cool
and won't evaporate too fast). Look at it next morning,
and if watermarks remain then more washing is definitely
required. Unfortunately, the converse is not necessarily
true and it's prudent to continue weathering a bit longer
after you reach the stage of no-more-watermarks.