Story Title: Oiling your deck
Episode 3: WA's Great Gardens
Date: 30th May 2010
Presenter: Trevor Cochrane

Wood care is an important part of having outdoor furniture or timber decking; Trevor features a simple way to get you started.

Trevor's Tips and Facts

• Maintaining your deck is crucial for long term durability. After a stinking hot dry summer the wood can dry out and this can lead to all sorts of problems when winter comes around.
• Oil your deck at least twice a year to keep them at their absolute best. The first time in spring to get them looking great, the second time to ensure that your timber doesn't waterlog over winter and swell and buckle.
• If your deck is greasy and dirty you may need to get a deck cleaning agent or warm soapy water and give it a wash down first.
• If your deck is not too bad but the oil has almost disappeared, our heavy winter rains will certainly wash the last out and the timber will absorb water and that's when problems occur.
• Not all decking oils are the same either so what do you do. Go for a trusted brand, that's always a good start. Try Solver Decking Oil.
•  Unless you want a stain or colour I'd go for natural which is essentially the type of oils that naturally soaked the timber before it dried out. All the hardwoods have wonderful rustic hues and when the wood absorbs the oil the dark colours look great.
• Your deck will only need a single coat of oil and you should only apply on dry wood. It takes about 6 to 8 hours to dry properly and you can apply another coat but I'd wait until spring time and give it 2 coats then.
• Timber is a fantastic component of any landscape but if it's left unkempt and not maintained it can also be a serious problem. Now's a great time to get out and give the deck a quick coat of oil to ensure it's looking fantastic.

Contact
Solver Paints
www.solverpaints.com.au