How To Apply Decking Oil To A New Timber Deck

A Beginner’s Guide on How to Apply Decking Oil to a New Timber Deck

Last Updated on January 10, 2023

Your timber deck is a stunning outdoor feature and a fantastic place for family gatherings. However, just like any outdoor wood, it will need proper maintenance if you want it to maintain its attractive look.

If you’re new to applying oil to timber decking, or you’re generally more familiar with decking stain, it might be challenging to determine how you should properly prepare and treat your hardwood deck. The last thing you want is to rush the experience and end up with less protection.

Here’s what you need to know about how to apply decking oil to a new timber deck.

Can You Put Decking Oil on New Decking?

One of the first things you’ll need to do before oiling your timber deck is to assess its condition. Most of the new decking available today will come with a wood preservative that’s already intended to protect against insects and wood disease. You can see that the deck has been pre-treated by looking for a slightly darker surface shade than the colour of the wood within the planks.

If you’ve just finished laying your timber deck, most decking products recommend that you should leave the wood to weather naturally for a while. The time you need to wait before applying a stain, colour, or oil coat will depend on the kind of timber and the weather you expect in your area. In some sunny areas, it’s possible to leave the decking to weather for six months.

Some timber decking providers say you should only wait around four to six weeks before oiling your deck if you want to ensure it has the proper UV protection and defence against mould.

Weathering your deck is essential because the timber is full of oils and tannins. The exposure your boards get from the sun and rain will help to leach these substances out of the wood, so the timber is ready to respond correctly to your treatment. Applying decking oil too quickly could ruin the coating of your deck.

How Do You Prepare a Timber Deck for Oiling?

If you’ve given your timber plenty of weathering time, and you’re concerned that the weather forecast isn’t going to hold up for much longer, you can consider applying decking oil.

Step One: Check the Weather Before You Begin to Oil Your Deck

You need to ensure that the temperature remains dry to get a great result without any water stains. Dry weather will also help the oiling process by allowing the oil to penetrate deeper into the wood.

Step Two: Clean the Dust

Use a combination of warm water and sugar soap to clean the dust and grime from your decks carefully. Dirt will likely have built up if you’ve allowed the deck to weather appropriately. Try not to apply too much water to the decks. A stiff brush will help you clean away unwanted grime faster, and you can finish with a hose to get rid of any left-over soap. Some flooring providers might recommend a special cleaner. If you’re not sure which cleaner to use, speak to your decking provider.

Step Three: Check for Moulds

If you notice any mould on the deck, you may be able to use bleach to remove it. However, check with the timber supplier first, as you don’t want to ruin the coat while cleaning.

Step Four: Add the Oil

The next step is to wait for the timber to dry off, then add your oil.

You should choose a high-quality oil that naturally highlights the timber’s colour, texture, and finish. It is perfect for repelling UV rays, mould, fungus, and even water by applying it with a cotton cloth or brush.

What Is the Best Way to Apply Decking Oil?

There’s no single correct way of oiling your timber deck. The way you apply your coats of oil will often depend on how much decking oil you’re going to use. If you have quite a pretty large deck, you might get better results with a brush that allows you to apply decking oil to a larger space faster.

There’s rarely a unique trick to using these products. You should run the pad or the brush with the oil along with a single board as far as you can. Try not to touch the other boards, even if you’re working at speed. Do one row of panel boards at a time.

Remember to stir the oil through carefully before you begin oiling to ensure an even coat. It might also help to read the instructions on the back of the items you buy to ensure that you can get the right look with your chosen products.

For an actual outcome across the entire area, it’s best not to rush oiling projects. Take your time with your decking oil brush, and wait until one coat has dried before applying further coats. Your decking oil should give you an insight into the amount of oil you need to use. Too many coats is rarely a good idea, as the timber will eventually be unable to absorb any more oil.

Oiling Your Deck

Proper oiling is a great way to make sure that you get more life out of your deck. Applying deck oil is one of the best ways to preserve your timber, and protect it against everything from UV rays, to excess rain and mould. With the right tools for the job, you should find that each step of oiling your deck is pretty straightforward.

Just remember not to rush through the process of applying your cleaner, washing the deck, and thoroughly soaking the timber in the oil. The more time you spend carefully oiling your deck, the more likely the oil will soak correctly. It is also worth noting that you’ll have a better time applying thin coats of oil to the surface rather than trying to pour the entire oil content onto your decking at once.

Once you’ve finished applying your decking oil to the entire deck, try to avoid allowing anyone to touch the surface for the rest of the day. Once the process is over, your deck should usually dry in the next 24 hours, but double-check before you use it again.

Something to Try on Your Deck Now

Remember that after you’ve finished the decking process, it’s worth coming back to regularly oil your decking again in the future, often every six to twelve months. It will further preserve your timber.

Knowing how to apply decking oil to a new timber deck is vital in preserving it. A neglected deck will begin to rot and decay, meaning you will have to replace it sooner than necessary.

Hopefully, you have learned something new today. Did you enjoy reading this article? Do you have questions or suggestions that you would like to add? Feel free to add them in the comment section below!

1 thought on “A Beginner’s Guide on How to Apply Decking Oil to a New Timber Deck”

  1. Gordon macleod

    I am about to lay a new deck the wood has been pressure tested.i live in Scotland. When do you advise I oil the deck
    Thank you
    Gordon macleod

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