Timber preparation for decking oil or timber finishes
Timber preparation prior to oiling your deck
When you get around to reapplying your Aussie Clear decking oil after 9-12 months, there are a few simple things you should do before hand to ensure fantastic results. Penetrative timber finishes applied over a poorly prepared deck or any other exterior timber, will result in very poor results. Correct timber preparation prior to oiling your deck will ensure fantastic results.
New Timber
If your exterior timber is new, Preschem recommends that you allow it to weather for between 6-8 weeks prior to applying a decking oil such as AUSSIE CLEAR or EXTERIOR PINE CLEAR. The reason for this is that all timber has natural resins, waxes etc that will limit how much oil will be absorbed. Allowing it to weather will mean that your first application will last longer. I’ve discussed this including the one exception where you wouldn’t do this, in more detail here.
In terms of preparation of new timber, simply ensure that it is a clean. Normally this will mean a quick scrub with fresh water or a pressure clean the day before you plan on oiling the deck. If there is any water marks, sap or other discolouration, use Preschem’s GREY DECK CLEANER to remove them. However, this is not usually required if the timber is new.
Existing Timber
For regular maintenance application of timber finishes such as AUSSIE CLEAR, GREY DECK CLEANER can be used as a deck wash to restore grey weathered timber as part of the preparation process
Tips and Tricks
How to tell if your wooden deck or exterior cladding etc is weathered?
This is simple. Wet the deck with water. If the natural colour of the timber returns, it’s not weathered. This is perfect as you can apply your decking oil without worrying about it blackening the timber. If however, the timber has gone dark grey or black when wet, much like a power pole does, then it has weathered. GREY DECK CLEANER will need to be applied in this case for best results, as it removes the UV weathering.
What if I have sapstain or bluestain moulds or other staining?
GREY DECK CLEANER should be used to remove these issues. It’s effectiveness will be dependant on what’s stained the timber. For instance, red wine might require a light sand prior to using the cleaner as it’s stain is persistant.
Can GREY DECK CLEANER be used to clean masonry or concrete of oil stains?
Yes, GREY DECK CLEANER is oxalic acid based. It is quite effective for removing oil stains in masonry or concrete. Follow the same directions for this purpose
Thanks for explaining how to tell if my wooden deck is weathered. It seems really easy to use water to see if my wood returns to its normal color to find out if it’s weathered. I’ll try that to find out if I need to apply a deck cleaner to remove UV weathering.
Oxalic acid in the base of the deck cleaner appeals .The deck is grey and black when wet I have been brushing and cleaning the deck since winter. We brought the apartment two years ago and i am now wanting to bring the surface to its best. Thanks for your good advice
Hi Malcolm, your nearest stockist of Grey Deck Cleaner will be either Footscray Paint Spot in Buckley Street or Masters in Ballarat Rd, Braybrook. Masters have everything discounted at 10% so get in quick and grab a bargain, including the Aussie clear. I was in my local Masters a week or so ago and there’s still stock in the paint section.
In relation to your deck, if it’s been grey for some time, then you may need to hit this a couple of times or even consider giving it a very light sand (ie no more than 1mm of timber). This is where a pressure cleaner will shine if you have one as it can lift some of the weathering if done carefully. A word of caution with a pressure cleaner: don’t use the standard nozzle as you will likely erode the timber. Better to use a car cleaning nozzle. If you don’t have a cleaner, consider getting one. I did with my deck and it makes the preparation part a breeze. And its great for cleaning cars, windows, BBQ’s, furniture etc. Mine gets a lot of work.
And yes, Go the Doggies in the GF! (I’m a cat supporter, but have admired the Dogs all season. Playing football as it should be played, hard fast and attacking at all costs.)
Thanks for sharing this very informative post. This blog improves my knowledge for decking oil or timber finishes. I really learned a lot from this.
You’re welcolm Dan
Regards
Rohan Baker
Production Manager
Thank you, I have been looking for info about this subject for ages and yours is the best I have discovered so far.
I really appreciate your post about decking preparation, I learn to build a simple deck for the low value of course this is a quality.