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4. How should I prepare my deck to get it ready for oil?

When it comes to getting your deck ready to oil in Melbourne , there is no such thing as one-size-ts-all. It’s true that all decks need to be cleaned properly before oiling, but the best way to clean your deck is based on it’s current condition. Let’s go through them... New Decking Boards: You should always let your new decking boards weather for at least 3-6 months before you oils or stain your new deck... You see, new boards have a lot of moisture in them and whatever protective coating you apply to them won’t absorb into the wood. If you rush to oil your deck without weathering the boards, you’ll get peeling within a few months... Here’s what you need to do:   Allow the boards to dry out for a 3 to 6 months then try this little test... Drop a few drops of water onto the deck and if it absorbs the water in a couple of seconds, then your deck is thirsty and ready to be coated... I would recommend scrubbing your deck with a deck cleaner, pressure washi...

How often should you oil a deck

Did you know that if you let your decking go for too long without oiling it you’ll have to sand it back and start again? It’ll be your only option…  But what is too long and… How often should you oil your deck? The short answer is you should oil your deck at least every 12 months… But sometimes it’s not that simple. Let me explain… If your decking is undercover and protected from the harsh Melbourne weather then you could go a  lot longer but here’s the thing… No matter how well protected your decking is, there will still be parts of your decking that will be exposed to the sun and the rain. The outer areas of your decking will take a beating and make the rest of your decking look bad. Here’s how you would keep the oil in these sections of your decking on par with the rest of your deck. It’s all about decking Maintenance Keep a close on on the section that are exposed to the weather At around the 6 month mark do the thirsty ...

How to tell if your decking need another coat of oil?

The Thirsty decking test Letting your deck go too long without applying a coat of oil is the number one reason your deck is  faded in the areas exposed to the sun and rain… This doesn’t mean you should just put oil on every few months to keep your deck protected … If you oil your deck and it’s “not ready” for the oil, it’ll sit on the surface and peel off when you start  to walk on it or slide furniture across it… The time you want to oil your deck is when it’s “Thirsty”... Notice that I said “Thirsty” not suffering from heat stroke!  One is “hey have a little drink, you’ll be fine”, the other is “Quick, take him to emergency, he’s not  going to make it!” I’ll let you work out which is which... Anyway… You want the oil to absorb into the surface adding protection, not sitting on the surface  like a film waiting to peel off… So how can you tell if your deck is “thirsty”? Introducing the “Thirsty Decking Test”... When you ...