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 think your decking is starting to look a little worn or tired you should apply this test to see 
if the protective oil is still doing it’s job or if your deck is due for a coat of oil…

Here’s what you do…

Get a small container of clean water…

Identify the suspect areas…

Put a couple of drops onto the surface of the deck…


Notice what the water does…

Does it absorb into the surface or does it bead up and sit on the surface?

If the water beads up and sits on the surface, you’ll probably find that you can clean your decking and it’ll 
look good as new…

If the water absorbs into the deck, then you’ll need to give it a coat of oil…

Pay attention... this is the critical part…

You still need to prepare your deck properly before you apply a coat of oil…

It’s vitally important to use the right cleaning products to make the deck ‘thirsty” and help your deck absorb the oil...

And just know, if your deck has gone too far and has blemishes and faded sections, a coat of oil won’t hide it. 
It’ll look better but you’ll still see the damage…


Now that you’ve got your deck ready to coat, there’s something you need to remember...

Never use a lambswool applicator... or a paint roller...

Always... when you’re applying the oil, make sure you use the “Brush on, Brush off Technique '' with a decking brush…

When it comes to decking oil, less is better…

Thick coats of oil don’t absorb into the surface of your decking boards…

You want to give it a drink, not drown it...

It’ll look good at first, then after only a couple of months, your deck will peel…

So remember… Brush on, Brush off and your decking will look better for longer…


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