How to keep your decking looking good
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Keep your decking looking good
Treating and maintaining your decking is essential to making it look clean and bright.
Tools and materials
- Stiff brush
- Paint brush
- Low pressure sprayer
- Watering can with rose
- Decking cleaner
- Decking restorer
- Decking stain
- Decking oil
- Decking protector
- Protective gloves
- Protective goggles
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Paving calculator.
Use this handy calculator to work out how many paving tiles you require.
Cleaning
Use a decking cleaner to remove moss, mould, algae and general grease and dirt, making your decking look cleaner and brighter. This should be done twice a year, once in spring in preparation for the summer months, and once in autumn to prepare the decking for the winter ahead.
1 Remove any loose or large accumulations of moss or algal growth using a stiff brush or scraper and brush off any general loose debris from the decking. Prepare the cleaner as per the instructions on the packaging, then apply to the decking using a brush, sprayer or watering can with a rose.
2 Scrub the surface immediately after the cleaner has been applied with a stiff brush and leave to stand. (The time to stand will vary depending on the product chosen - see pack for full details).
3 Rinse off thoroughly with clean water using a hose, ensuring all residues have been washed away. Allow at least 2 days for the decking to dry thoroughly before applying a protective coat.
Restore
If your decking has turned grey or weathered looking, a decking restorer can be applied to restore it back to its original colour prior to applying a protective application.
1 Brush the area with a stiff brush to remove any loose debris. Remove any accumulations of moss, mould and algae using a pressure washer. Ensure the surface is bare and that all previously applied coatings of protector or stain have been removed prior to applying the restorer.
2 Apply the restorer to the decking using a brush.
3 Immediately after applying the restorer, work it into the surface of the wood using a scrubbing pad or stiff brush, then leave to stand (the time to stand will vary depending on the product chosen - see pack for full details).
4 Rinse off thoroughly with clean water using a hose or watering can, ensuring all residues have been washed away. Allow 2 days for the decking to dry thoroughly before applying a protective coat.
Protect
It is important to protect your decking once a year to keep it looking its best. There are 3 types of products available which can protect your decking: decking protector, decking stain and decking oil. The level of protection they provide will depend on the product you choose.
Decking protector
Decking protector absorbs into the wood, water-proofing and protecting it. It will not change the appearance of the wood as it has a translucent colour.
Decking stains
Decking stains are available in a variety of colours, protecting and weatherproofing the deck whilst delivering a semi opaque finish.
Decking oils
Decking oils penetrate the wood, waterproofing and replacing natural oils whilst leaving subtle colour that enhances the beauty of the wood. These products come in a variety of application methods: some are applied with a brush, some with a special pad and there are some sprayable versions available too.