decking oil

Garden decking has become very popular and can look great in many gardens but it can also become green, grimy, slippery and plain dirty and ugly after the winter months. The surface of timber decks becomes exposed to the elements such as sunlight, rain, snow and frost. This will inevitably lead to a deterioration of the colour if nothing else. However don’t despair you can get it back to the way it once was with some deck maintenance! There are 3 easy steps to get your decking looking good again and keeping it that it way. What you need to do is to:

•Clean
•Restore
•Protect

Discolouration is the obvious problem – all un-stained timber outside eventually turns a grey colour. Protective action can help to allay this problem, which is caused in the main by fine dirt particles entering the microscopic ‘pores’ of the timber.

The timber itself loses colour as ultra violet rays from the sun react with the timber. In this case, simply cleaning your deck will not restore the original colour. Though it will make it more attractive!

Discolouration of the deck timber has many causes – dependent upon the area in which you live – together with a number of biological causes.

• Dirt by way of atmospheric dust particles, overhanging tree debris, bird droppings, BBQ debris!
  Biological degradation of decks include, fungal activity, moulds, decay, and in shaded areas algae or moss.
  Stains from unsuitable fittings can also cause problems such as un-galvanized nails, screws and bolts.
  Problems that can be prevented are those often associated with placing planted containers and furniture on the deck. Planted containers – great deck assets – should have a moisture-proof stand underneath. An please do your planting and re-planting either off the deck, or with a good protective groundsheet under the work area.

Before treating any deck, the deck should be thoroughly cleaned.

How to Clean a Deck
There are several preparations available fro DIY stores or Decking Specialists which to clean your deck. Go for the brand names, or reputable DIY stores own brand. Do not attempt to treat your deck or stain it without firstly cleaning it.

An alternative, is to use a weakened solution of TSP (trisodium phosphate) which can be obtained from any good paint shop. (It is used by pro painters to clean paintwork). Add a little household washing-up liquid to ensure a deep penetration. Try a small area first, and use as directed on the container.

Do not use any chlorine based bleach, for whilst this will clean your deck of algae and mildew in particular, it will also break down the lignin in the deck timber – which holds the wood together!

A weak solution of Citric Acid will help to ‘brighten up’ old greyed timbers. Most important 0 – it is a non hazardous way of cleaning your deck. There are also some proprietary brands of wood bleach available, that will do the job.

Hydrogen Peroxide – which also has other lightening uses – will do wonders for lightening old timbers and in particular is good for the older darker deck timbers. It evaporates away, leaving no residues.

Most fungal growth can be treated with a general garden fungicide! If you use a combined Fungicide/Insecticide to clean your deck, then you can also kill of many ‘hidden’ insect pests lurking under the timber. This treatment does nothing to lighten the wood or to actually clean it of dirt – simply fungi/mildew and insects. It is not for cleaning the deck – simply to rid it of any infestation

A jet washer can be used for cleaning decks BUT it must not be a heavy duty one. Something smaller than 1500 psi with a wide fan jet will be suitable for most deck cleaning jobs. Anything more powerful will leave the timber with a ‘wooly’ finish, as it will destroy the wood fibres. The result will be a deck that is very difficult – if not impossible – to clean or to treat.

Once the deck is clean – then and only then – you can think about a long term treatment regime to enhance the colour and longevity of your deck. Even after a suitable treatment application, regular cleaning of your deck is important to maintain the colour of the deck timbers.

Wood – like all living things – is made up of a honeycomb of minute (microscopic) cells. Whether softwood or hardwood, the cells are there – empty, waiting to be filled up with whatever is available! Deck boards are different in one main respect to other timber structures outside. Deck boards lay horizontal – not vertical like walled structures – so dirt and dust is not readily washed off. It simply lays on the deck until it finds a home. If it is larger than the cellular structure of the wood, then it will eventually wash off. If it is dust-like and smaller than the cell structure, then it will fill the available cell!

This cell structure can be ‘capped’ by using Decking Oil.

The fact that your deck has been pressure treated in the manufacturing stage, does not mean that it requires no further treatment to alleviate stains and grey-coloured decks.

Ordinary deck stain, simply colours the surface area of the timber. It does not fill up the cells, so dirt is still able to fill the spaces! A Deck Sealer is required to do the job – usually by way of a decking oil.

Decking oil is a special treatment/preserver that – whilst applied as a liquid – has a high potential ‘solids’ content, so that when it dries it solidifies thereby filling the pores/cells. Deck oil has high penetrating properties, so that it can enter and then solidify in the individual cells. Some deck stains simply coat the cells, still leaving room for the dirt to accumulate.

Penetrating oil finishes are much better for deck maintenance than polyurethane or varnish type finishes. Oils do not crack as the timber expands and contracts with the varying weather patterns. Deck oil treatments actually improve the structure of the timber, for once dry, the solids are stronger than the individual wood fibres that they bind together. Decking oils actually replace the natural oils and resins that get lost over time with deck timbers.

Decking oil should be applied after the deck has been thoroughly cleaned. We do not advocate the use of pressure sprayers, for if used indiscriminately a pressure jet can ruin the surface structure of the timber – leaving it with a ‘wooly’ feel – difficult to clean.

Application

The oil should be applied in two coats using a soft-haired paint brush. The soft-haired option will allow for even spreading of the deck oil and also act as a sponge to mop up any surplus deck oil, which can then be used further along the board.

The oil should be applied thinly and well brushed out to ensure no puddles of surplus oil is left on the deck. This is particularly the case with grooved deck boards, as surplus oil can linger in the grooves, giving an unsightly appearance, and also taking a long time to dry.

With a thin application, the first coat will normally be touch dry in an hour in ideal weather conditions. A second coat is necessary to further protect the timber and also to enhance the colour if using a tinted oil.

If you decide to opt for a coloured oil – and it really does add impact to your deck – then always choose a lighter colour if you are uncertain. It is easy to ‘darken’ a lighter colour by oiling with the darker colour subsequently. It is virtually impossible to ‘lighten’ the colour after using a darker coloured oil.

A 5 litre can of oil normally covers around 50 sq metres of deck with 2 coats.

Hardwood flooring, in particular Oak Flooring is an aesthetically and economically sound choice of flooring in your household. Despite its general longevity, hardwood flooring can be prone to scratching if not treated carefully. However, these scratches are often easily repaired, provided you know how.

Oak Flooring

Firstly, you need to assess the scratch itself, is it a deep scratch or a light scratch? Both are treatable. It may be the case that the damage has not penetrated the wax coating, and the wood itself has not been affected. If however, the scratch shows up as a lighter colour, this will likely be the colour of the wood beneath meaning that the wood itself has been damaged.

If the scratch does not show a lighter colour, then this is an easy repair. Simply sand away the wax coating over the affected area, wipe over some white spirits to ensure that any sanded particles are removed and then reapply a matching varnish to the sanded area. For deeper scratches where the wood itself is showing, lightly rub over the scratch using fine steel wool. Ensure that you only rub over the scratch lightly and of course always rub along the grain of the wood; otherwise you may cause more damage. For deeper scratches, using sandpaper tends to be effective, though again be careful as the abrasive materials can too be damaging. Following sanding the scratch down to reduce its appearance, rub white spirit over the sanded area, removing any sanded particles from the woods to ensure a smooth finish. After this, fill the scratch with wood filler, these can be bought at DIY and hardware shops for no more than five or six pounds. Ensure that when filling your scratch you use a blunt or plastic knife; any other tools can cause more damage and scratches to the floor. Also note that wood fillers come in different colours so be sure to buy the correct one to match your floor. Mixing wood fillers can be an option to achieve a perfect finish. Let the wood filler dry thoroughly and follow by very lightly sanding down any excess filler using wire wool or fine sandpaper. The final stage is to seal the scratched area which is done by applying a wooden floor varnish. Again ensure that the colour matches! An important tip is to use brushes with natural applicators such as wool or natural bristles, foam brushes will leave air bubbles in the varnish.

If the scratch is very deep, this may in fact be what is known as a ‘gouge’ and is typically more difficult to repair. Rather than lightly sanding the affected area, if the scratch is particularly pronounced this may involve the use of an electric sander. Also, as opposed to sanding only the affected area, the whole board may have to be sanded and then levelled again to the rest of the hardwood floor. This is still a relatively easy repair, however for the DIY novice it may be worthwhile contacting your floor manufacturer or a trained professional who may be able to give you help and advice on the best treatments for the severity of the scratch.

Most causes of scratching to hardwood floors comes from moving furniture, breaking glass or wearing high heels on the floor. If treated carefully, hardwood floors are incredibly durable and can last anything up to hundreds of years.

Mixing Concrete

Mix 1 part cement, 2 parts sand and 4 parts of gravel. What you use to measure the parts depends on how much concrete you need – normally buckets are the best measure, one part being a level bucket full. Adding water is not a simple matter as the sand you are using might already be wet. So use trial and error – add some water and mix until the consistency is right. How do you know – well a shovel full will stay in a loose heap and not slop over the edges but the mix is soft enough for you to smooth and shape easily.

What ever you are applying the concrete to should be wet as this helps the concrete bind to it.

The mix dries and hardens – but if it the conditions are too hot the mixture will dry unevenly and crack. So if the concrete is in full sun on a hot day cover it will some shade – plastic or a sheet, to slow down the drying.

As the mix dries, it will harden. But the drying, or ‘curing’ should be gradual, otherwise cracking may occur. To prevent cracking, plastic is placed over the curing concrete to trap the water inside, ensuring gradual curing.”

If you are mixing a lot of concrete it pays to hire a cement mixter as it is back breaking work. Also getting an even mix is really important for producing strong concrete.

Concrete contains cement plus sand and gravel. So do not make the mistake of buying bags of cement and just mixing with water – the mix will not be strong and may just powder when dry.

Note from the editor: Homebase provided us with this extract to generate interest in their Easter 2010 offers.  Normally we do not publish articiles which are primarily there to push a company or product however in this case we think the article is a timely reminder of the dangers of DIY.  We also think that their free information sheets and their online DIY advice center are useful resources.  Check them out here – Homebase DIY Advice Center.  We have not accepted any money for publishing this article.

Results from the UK’s biggest home and garden survey

The Home & Garden Survey was carried out in November and December 2009 by Homebase and surveyed a total of 208,257people.  As the nation gears up for the first long weekend of the year and paintbrushes, drills, hammers and pasting tables are dusted off, Homebase has revealed the causes of the most common DIY disasters following the biggest home and garden survey ever conducted in the UK.

Homebase, asked more than 200,000 people about their DIY experiences and were inundated with tales of hammer horrors, painting panic and far-from-fool-proof-flooring. The DIY disaster league shows that the number one project likely to cause a calamity is painting and decorating, followed by flooring, hammering nails, drilling and plumbing.

Men are most likely to find themselves in a spot of bother when hammering nails, while for women it’s decorating. One in ten women have had a disaster doing the painting and decorating while 15% of females claimed their biggest disaster when it comes to DIY is their husband! With more than 1,000 of those surveyed claiming to have sustained an injury as a result of a DIY disaster.

Despite a few problems along the way the vast majority of people are still keen to have a go at Doing-It-Themselves with only 10% of respondents saying they rely on the experts for the whole job and 80% of people saying they get pleasure from improving their home doing DIY.

Paint Pot

The Homebase DIY disaster league:

1. Painting and decorating
2. Flooring
3. Hammering nails
4. Drilling
5. Plumbing

Examples of DIY disasters shared with Homebase in the survey:

• Drilling holes through brand new central heating pipes 20 minutes before the carpet fitters were due to arrive
• Cutting an overgrown garden with a strimmer and hitting a stone resulting in a smashed conservatory window
• Hanging floral wallpaper upside down, with the pattern not matching
• Hammering a new shelf resulting in a flat screen TV being knocked off the other side of the wall and falling to pieces on the floor

Simon Yeomans, DIY category marketing manger at Homebase commented, “Easter weekend is always one of the busiest of the year for DIY with plenty of time to tackle important projects around the home. People are more likely to try something ambitious and our advice is to make sure you prepare well. Homebase has a series of ‘How To’ guides available in store and online for all the most popular projects with step-by-step instructions, top tips and the tools you need for the job.”

About Homebase

Homebase is the UK’s second largest home improvement retailer and is recognised for choice, style and customer service across the wider home enhancement market. It has more than 300 large, out-of-town stores throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland. In the last financial year, Homebase sales were £1.5 billion and it employed some 20,000 people across the business.
Homebase sells over 30,000 products across its home enhancement ranges, and has a growing Internet offering. Homebase serves 60 million customers per year through its stores and offers customers the convenience of home delivery for bulky, high-value items.

Homebase was the first UK DIY retailer to achieve Forest Stewardship Council Chain of Custody certification and the first national DIY retailer to be recognised with a Government TrustMark Award, achieved for its kitchen installation service.

Homebase is part of Home Retail Group, the UK’s leading home and general merchandise retailer.

Beautiful Wooden Flooring

One of the best qualities of timber flooring is its trouble free cleaning feature where the particles of dust can be easily cleaned by mopping or vacuuming over them. Spills over them can also be quickly and easily wiped in just a few seconds, without any stain or patchy mark. Timber floor looks elegant in each and every room of a house be it your kitchen, dining area or your bedroom. It is good for your kitchen and dining room which are likely to get food spills, and you can mop them in secondsand give a sparkling look. Though, it can be conveniently kept sparkling clean, it does not reflect like a vinyl paint that can be harsh on your eyes. It is also a good choice for entertainment room which can be kept sparkling clean without reflecting on eyes.

Timber flooring looks good in bedroom as well as it blends perfectly with bedroom furnishing. You can also put a small mat beside your bed over the floor, so that when you get down after your sleep, you may get a soft feel under your toes. It is also used in bathrooms and laundry, only if they are treated well to keep out the damp. People who are prone to allergies can safely use timber floor in their house as dust particles that usually cause allergies are not loaded in it, which usually are present in carpets.

Timber floor is ideal for both winters and summers as it is cool to walk on during summer and at the same time give a very good insulation during cold winters. You can get a wide range of choices of natural shades of timber floor, that range from sand color or pale euro to darker and richer shades of brown. Timber floor is a natural product, so the colors or designs are not uniformely laid all over the surface, and this is the very beauty of the product. The best part is that when you see the flooring laid on a house, the lighter and darker shades mix together perfectly with each other and give a great look to the surface.

Modern modular deck construction

New code of practice for raised timber decks endorsed by NHBC

The Timber Decking Association (TDA) has announced the publication of a new Code of Practice (CP) for the design and construction of raised timber decks. The CP has been produced to help raise the standard of deck design and construction amongst homebuilders and is tailored specifically to the quality and performance requirements expected by the National House-Building Council (NHBC), the UK’s leading standards setter and insurer of new homes.

The CP provides homebuilders with guidance on the specifications required to create raised timber decks capable of delivering a service life of 60 years – a key requirement of the NHBC.

The development of the CP dates back to autumn 2007 when NHBC announced that it had major concerns about the quality and safety of the timber decks that were beginning to feature on new homes. At that time NHBC said it was minded to ban the use of wood as a structural material for any deck more than 600mm from the ground.

According to Steve Young, operations director of the TDA, it was important to correct perceptions that wood was no good as a structural material:
“ We were concerned that wood was being made something of a scapegoat for poor design, materials selection and installation practices. Our first priority was to get the NHBC to give wood the benefit of doubt and allow us to develop a code of practice that met their quality and performance requirements. We were the only timber industry body to lobby the NHBC on this issue and are delighted that they have accepted the TDA Code of Practice which will now become part of NHBC standards.”

The specifications in the CP provide for significantly increased load bearing and 60 year service life assumptions compared with current practice and this is reflected in the specifications recommended. Housebuilders will find detailed guidance about timber selection, component sizing, make up and spacing, footings and saddlestones, bracing, balustrades and stairs.

Code of Practice TDA/RD0801: Raised Timber Deck Structures on new homes is being made available free of charge as a pdf download to all NHBC Registered Builders, architects and professional building control officers.
“A Code of Practice like this would normally be sold for £30 or more. However, in the interests of good design and specification practice we are making it available free of charge to those organisations who have a major interest in getting it right first time” says Steve Young.

To obtain a copy, apply online via the architects help desk on www.tda.org.uk

Further information contact: 01977 558147 Steve Young
The TDA’s code of practice contains detailed visuals, span tables and component
specifications.

The Timber Decking Association is part of the Timber Decking & Cladding Association Ltd.

5C Flemming Court
Castleford
West Yorkshire
WF10 5HW

It is all about quality; do you want a deck that lasts 5 minutes or a lot longer? Timber used on decks must be able to resist the elements. So it is important that you use timber specifically treated for outdoor conditions.

Softwood

Compared to hardwood, softwood such as pine has low durability unless it is treated. Fortunately softwood can be used in all decking and pergola situations provided that it is properly treated. For example, timber used for ground posts needs to be stronger and more resilient than the timber used for the floor of the deck. Treated softwood (usually pine) is the most cost effective and popular timber option.

Hardwood

Hardwood is the strongest choice for decking timber. It is generally more expensive than softwood. It is naturally resilient to insect damage and usually possesses a richer timber hue than softwood. Often hardwood is hard to treat but its natural durability means that it will stand the test of time.It is recommended that hardwood be seasoned (usually kiln-dried). Varieties of hard wood popular for decking include Asian hardwood Bartu and Jarrah. As with softwood it is important to protect hardwood decks by staining them regularly with a good quality timber finish such as decking oil or timber stain.

Synthetics

Timber is not your only choice for a deck. Compressed sheeting is a synthetic option that is durable, cost-effective and waterproof. You can cover the sheeting with any finishing material.

Stumps

Concrete is the best. 100 x 100 hardwood or treated pine at a minimum, as it is at the point where soil meets air that the rot takes place. Put ant caps on the stumps to avoid white ants and rubber on bearers and joists to stop moisture.

If using hard wood decking use hardwood bearers and joists. If using treated pine, use treated pine or Cyprus for the bearers and joists as combining hard and soft wood will cause the deck to bow. Wide timbers can bend so you need either 1. Cuts on the back and or 2. Good oiling before putting down.

Clamping timbers with spacers in between before putting down, makes life easier together with a long deck drill. Put two attachments per plank. Use deck screw or nails. If using nails you have to pre-drill.

Wide timbers are more expensive but last longer. With wide timbers you can cut the two joining pieces on the 45 degree angle so as not to have to break the nail line by attaching both timbers separately. Instead have a joiner through both at the same time.

Don’t be fooled by putting the rough side up. That is to create air between the joists and the deck and face up will collect dirt and become slippery and shorten the life of your deck.

Do not use Miribu as it comes out of native forests in Indonesia and kills monkeys and orang-utans.

A deck should be well oiled so that the water beads. When its stops bending after about a year, it is time for a top up.

You can use no nail attachments but they can be a hassle unless you know what you are doing.

Use natural oils and stains not petrol chemical stains.

Whenever possible, use second hand timbers from a reputable supplier.

Spacing depends on look but should not be less than 3mm to allow for expansion and contraction of the timber.

Choose timber to last.

You could use synthetic timbers but they can look a bit ordinary.

Decking oil

Combine I cup full of metho to four litres of linseed oil. You can always add a little more metho; it is so the wood draws it in and doesn’ t just sit on top.