If anyone has experience of treating decking, I'ld be glad of advice.

I have a great deal of decking between the house and the garden. It was
put down about 10 years ago and was never coated with anything. The
previous owner gave it a light power-wash twice a year and this has kept
the algae down, so there is barely any green to be seen anywhere. The
fact that all this decking is south-facing probably also helps keep the
algae down. Currently all the wood looks clean but grey.

The pale grey of the decking does not fit at all well with the strong
mahogany-colour of the UPVC window-frames, so for this reason I want to
coat the decking so that it matches the windows. A paint company has
advised me to firstly clean the decking with "oxygen bleach", to clean
it and remove discolourations, and then to coat it with "a water-based
epoxy sealer with a synthetic resin."

Does anybody here have experience of these products?

Also, what would you recommend as being best for the above situation?

Thanks,
Eddy.

On 24 Feb, 19:36, Eddy
wrote:
If anyone has experience of treating decking, I'ld be glad of advice.

I have a great deal of decking between the house and the garden. *It was
put down about 10 years ago and was never coated with anything. *The
previous owner gave it a light power-wash twice a year and this has kept
the algae down, so there is barely any green to be seen anywhere. The
fact that all this decking is south-facing probably also helps keep the
algae down. *Currently all the wood looks clean but grey.

The pale grey of the decking does not fit at all well with the strong
mahogany-colour of the UPVC window-frames, so for this reason I want to
coat the decking so that it matches the windows. *A paint company has
advised me to firstly clean the decking with "oxygen bleach", to clean
it and remove discolourations, and then to coat it with "a water-based
epoxy sealer with a synthetic resin."

Does anybody here have experience of these products?

Also, what would you recommend as being best for the above situation?

Thanks,
Eddy.

A water proof epoxy would be the the last thing I would use. I would
use a water repellant preservative stain and keep water vapour moving
in and out and water in the liquid phase out
There has been an extensive previous post on this as far as I can
recollect...
Chris

On Feb 24, 7:36*pm, Eddy
wrote:


Also, what would you recommend as being best for the above situation?


I'd look at Sikkens Cetol HLS or Hicksons Restol Decking oil in a
medium or dark shade to get close to what you want.

There are various other tinted decking oils the 'sheds' sell but the
above is likely to be better quality.

Then once a year or two give a thin coat of a light shade to top it
up.

Well worth try an inconspicious sample first though.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
On Feb 24, 7:36 pm, Eddy
wrote:


Also, what would you recommend as being best for the above situation?


I'd look at Sikkens Cetol HLS or Hicksons Restol Decking oil in a
medium or dark shade to get close to what you want.

There are various other tinted decking oils the 'sheds' sell but the
above is likely to be better quality.

Then once a year or two give a thin coat of a light shade to top it
up.

Well worth try an inconspicious sample first though.


As long as you are sure its never been treated I'd agree with Pete C.
Decking oil soaks in rather than forming a surface coating, so it's easier
to apply & top up. I'd avoid any kind of seal, epoxy or not.

I've used clear decking oil from the sheds & found it OK.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The Medway Handyman wrote:
As long as you are sure its never been treated I'd agree with Pete C.
Decking oil soaks in rather than forming a surface coating, so it's easier
to apply & top up. I'd avoid any kind of seal, epoxy or not.

I've used clear decking oil from the sheds & found it OK.

Dave, thanks for the advice. The idea of using something that sinks
into the wood, rather than just forming a film on top of it, as paint
does, seems like very good sense to me. However, I have seen quite a
lot of references on internet pages to how algae & suchlike love to
"eat" oil-based treatments, i.e. people claim that the organic nature of
the oil while soaking into the wood is also attractive to the green
stuff ! Have you used oil-based treatments and not found this to be
the case?

Eddy.

Eddy wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
As long as you are sure its never been treated I'd agree with Pete C.
Decking oil soaks in rather than forming a surface coating, so it's
easier to apply & top up. I'd avoid any kind of seal, epoxy or not.

I've used clear decking oil from the sheds & found it OK.

Dave, thanks for the advice. The idea of using something that sinks
into the wood, rather than just forming a film on top of it, as paint
does, seems like very good sense to me. However, I have seen quite a
lot of references on internet pages to how algae & suchlike love to
"eat" oil-based treatments, i.e. people claim that the organic nature
of the oil while soaking into the wood is also attractive to the green
stuff ! Have you used oil-based treatments and not found this to be
the case?

AFAIK oil based treatments change chemically when they dry. Hopefully
someone will be along in a minute who knows more. I've never heard of algae
liking oil based treatments & I do keep my eyes open for anything to do with
decking.

I built my first deck in July 2000 and have only ever used decking oil.
Having said that I've nothing to compare it with so its not a scientific
study.

Just found this on the Axminster site;

---------------------------------
Liberon Decking Oil

Decking oil is for use on all decking and can be applied to treated and
untreated wood. It is compatible with other products, is water
resistant/repellent and helps to prevent mould and fungal growth. A low
odour, durable finish with UV filters to maximise resistance to the
elements. Supplied in clear or teak to help lift and rejuvenate tired
looking timber.

---------------------------------------

It says it helps prevent mould & fungal growth. Whilst I'm always
suspicious of 'helps prevent' statements I can't see why it would be
difficut to add a fungicide.

On that point, I reckon its worth cleaning the deck first with a decking
cleaner. The contain optical brighteners to restore colour ^ fungicides to
kill off spores.

HTH



--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The Medway Handyman wrote:
AFAIK oil based treatments change chemically when they dry. Hopefully
someone will be along in a minute who knows more. I've never heard of algae
liking oil based treatments & I do keep my eyes open for anything to do with
decking.

I built my first deck in July 2000 and have only ever used decking oil.
Having said that I've nothing to compare it with so its not a scientific
study.

Just found this on the Axminster site;

---------------------------------
Liberon Decking Oil

Decking oil is for use on all decking and can be applied to treated and
untreated wood. It is compatible with other products, is water
resistant/repellent and helps to prevent mould and fungal growth. A low
odour, durable finish with UV filters to maximise resistance to the
elements. Supplied in clear or teak to help lift and rejuvenate tired
looking timber.

---------------------------------------

It says it helps prevent mould & fungal growth. Whilst I'm always
suspicious of 'helps prevent' statements I can't see why it would be
difficut to add a fungicide.

On that point, I reckon its worth cleaning the deck first with a decking
cleaner. The contain optical brighteners to restore colour ^ fungicides to
kill off spores.

Thanks for all of the above, Dave.

Eddy.

On Feb 25, 11:06*pm, Eddy
wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
As long as you are sure its never been treated I'd agree with Pete C.
Decking oil soaks in rather than forming a surface coating, so it's easier
to apply & top up. *I'd avoid any kind of seal, epoxy or not.

I've used clear decking oil from the sheds & found it OK.

Dave, thanks for the advice. *The idea of using something that sinks
into the wood, rather than just forming a film on top of it, as paint
does, seems like very good sense to me. *However, I have seen quite a
lot of references on internet pages to how algae & suchlike love to
"eat" oil-based treatments, i.e. people claim that the organic nature of
the oil while soaking into the wood is also attractive to the green
stuff ! * Have you used oil-based treatments and not found this to be
the case?

Algae tends to thrive on a rough or porous surface, especially with
trees overhanging.

The ones I mentioned both form a thin surface film which discourages
algae by making the surface less porous.

They protect the wood from weathering better, and last longer but
_need timely maintenance_.

The non film forming ones usually have fungicide/algaecide to help
stop algae, and are more forgiving of neglect.

In view of the fact the deck is 10 years old it might be worth giving
the latter type a try.

If the results aren't satisfactory then let it weather off and try the
former type.

cheers,
Pete.

Pete C wrote:
Algae tends to thrive on a rough or porous surface, especially with
trees overhanging.

The ones I mentioned both form a thin surface film which discourages
algae by making the surface less porous.

They protect the wood from weathering better, and last longer but
need timely maintenance .

The non film forming ones usually have fungicide/algaecide to help
stop algae, and are more forgiving of neglect.

In view of the fact the deck is 10 years old it might be worth giving
the latter type a try.

If the results aren't satisfactory then let it weather off and try the
former type.

Thanks, Pete.