Time to refinish that deck for summer
Exposed to extreme climate, excess moisture and exposure to harsh UV sunlight, your deck can easily become worn and faded. But you can transform your deck in no time at all, by performing annual maintenance to keep it looking beautiful.
Poor maintenance during the winter months can leave you staring in dismay at ugly stains, rotting wood and rampant mould and mildew growth.
By performing these maintenance tasks, you can prep your deck to withstand the harsh winter and prevent any unpleasant surprises this spring.
Here’s a checklist of tasks to complete before summer arrives:
- Sweep the deck with a soft brush to remove leaves and other garden debris from the surface of your deck to prevent staining. It is essential to do this on a regular basis, as wet leaves can leach tannin into the wood, which leaves a tea-coloured stain. Decomposing organic matter can also cause rot to your deck boards.
- Dislodge any debris that has become wedged between boards, as you want maximum air circulation throughout your entire deck to allow moisture to evaporate as quickly as possible.
- Use Woodoc Wood Reviver on any areas that have succumbed to rot, mould or mildew. Follow the manufacturer's instructions and be sure to neutralise once finished.
Preparation
- Make sure that there are no raised nails or screws that could cause harm. Remove and replace these where necessary.
- Any broken or damaged deck boards should be replaced.
- Check that supports are still in good condition.
- Cover any surrounding plants to protect.
Cleaning
A high-pressure spray is an excellent way to clean a deck. This type of cleaner uses very little water, and the pressure allows is to clean away stains without over-wetting.
If you don't own a high-pressure spray, you can hire one for the day, or use a hose-pipe with nozzle set on the highest pressure setting. When using the latter, spray at an angle to loosen stubborn dirt, sweep away excess water, and allow plenty of time for the timber to dry.
- Before sealing the deck, allow sufficient time for the timber to dry - preferably
2-3 days in warm weather - before sealing.
- Identify the product that you need for your deck. Woodoc Deck Sealer is
developed for pine or meranti, whereas Woodoc Deck Dressing is for dense timber.
- Follow the application instructions for the product that you are using.
- Use a quality paintbrush to apply the product. This will ensure that you spend more time applying sealer and less time removing hairs from the surface!
Woodoc Deck Dressing & Deck Sealer
Woodoc recognises that dense (hard) woods and porous (soft) woods require different treatments to suit the nature of their composition. Porus wood will readily accept penetration and consequently a hard finish sealer. Dense wood on the other hand resists penetration, making conventional sealers unsuitable for application.
Woodoc Deck Sealer - tinted - Golden Brown, Rich Meranti, Deep Brown. A tinted, low-gloss, re-enforced sealer that is hard wearing and high in UV-absorbers. Specifically developed for decks and decking timber that is porous, such as SA Pine and porous Meranti, and exposed to all weather conditions.
Woodoc Deck Dressing - tinted - Golden Brown, Rich Meranti, Deep Brown. A tinted, matt oil finish for application to hard, dense timber like Balau, Rhodesian Teak, Garapa or Iroko. It provides UV-protection an is water repellent and suitable for first time treatment and maintenance of decks, decking and rough-sawn wood, e.g. wendy houses and fences.
Deck Dressing does not get hard and should be regularly applied - usually every 6 months or when the weather looks dry. The different coats may take up to 48 hours to dry, depending on the weather. If possible, apply first coat before assembling the deck.
