This case study is a deck with a view! It’s definitely worth putting a bit of time and money in to revive and protect it for years to come.
This deck is built using IPE decking which is an extremely hard wood. This makes it more difficult for protective treatments to impregnate the wood.
Cheaper high street brands are often not up to the job but with Owatrol you know that your deck will be safe from the elements.
Why is it so important to treat my deck?
For this project, Thomas first needed to clean and restore the deck using Net-Trol wood cleaner and color restorer. This particular deck is on the coast and as such is battered by wind, rain, sun and salt 365 days a year.
This photograph shows the deck during the cleaning process. You can clearly see the area on the left which has been cleaned and the area on the right which is still to be done.
If you look closely you can also see a darker patch on the area still to be cleaned. This is where the wood was protected from the elements by the base of a table.
This shows the damage done when a deck is not protected correctly.
Cleaning a weathered deck with Net-Trol
As this deck was previously untreated, Thomas was able to get straight to work with Net-Trol, our wood cleaner and color restorer. If it has been treated previously he would have had to use either Aquanett to remove wood oils or Prepdeck to remove coatings such as oils, stains and varnish.
Using Net-Trol to clean your decking is pretty simple. First give the deck a good sweep to remove any excess dirt (or in this case built up salt and sand!). Then wet the surface and apply Net-Trol. Be sure to give it a good scrub with a stiff synthetic brush.
Now leave it to work it’s magic for at least 20 minutes. Then rinse it off again whilst scrubbing and use the highest powered water source you have. A pressure washer would be ideal but a garden hose will suffice.
Now be sure to have a little patience and leave your deck to dry fully for at least 48 hours before applying your finish.
Finishing your decking with Textrol Clear
For this project, Thomas and his clients have chosen to finish the deck using Owatrol’s Textrol in clear. This is because it gives a wonderful finish which accentuates the natural beauty of the wood.
Textrol is developed specifically for weathered wood. It is a saturating wood oil which means that its place is within the wood not on the surface. It stabilises the wood, protects it from UV damage and prevents moisture from being able to enter or leave. This protects it from splitting and warping.
As it sits within the wood, it will not peel or flake and maintenance is easy. Usually only a single coat necessary once a year or two and no sanding or stripping!
Textrol is applied ‘wet on wet’ which means that you must not allow it to dry between coats. This is because the dry Textrol will then prevent any more from being absorbed – that’s ultimately its job after all!
Apply the first coat and allow it to penetrate for about 15-30 minutes but do NOT allow it to become surface dry. Then continue to apply more coats in the same way until no more oil will be absorbed.
When you reach this stage be sure to brush off any excess Textrol sitting on the surface of the wood to prevent shiny patches.
Check out the results!
It is best to work in sections which can be completed within 15-20 minutes. This is so that you can go back to the start to re-coat.
Remember on a project like this deck to always work along the decking boards and stop at the end of a complete board each time. This will ensure an even finish.
Is it worth the time and money to protect my deck?
This might seem like quite a lengthy process but it really is worth spending a little extra time now to be safe in the knowledge that you won’t need to keep repeating it in the future.
Also, although Owatrol products may seem more expensive than some of their high street competitors, the quality is far superior. You will find you are spending considerably less in the long run as you don’t need to keep stripping and re-applying when your decking protection doesn’t perform as planned!
Oh and about that view we mentioned?…
Definitely worth some time making the decking match up to the awesomeness of that view! Put that together with the advanced protection against the harsh weather provided by Owatrol products and I think you’ll agree it’s both time and money well spent!
For more information of the products listed, please use the following links:
About Owatrol Team
Our team are ready and willing to support you with your requirements whether it is protecting your newly laid deck or renovating a luxury yacht, whatever the application Owatrol US has the solution you are looking for.