How to Oil a Deck

There can be nothing more satisfying than doing a beautiful finish to your own outdoor deck.
It’s really quite a simple process to oil a deck, provided the preparation is done right. I have put together a little information below that will have you oiling your deck and sitting back with a nice cold beer in no time at all.

Prep & Cleaning

Assuming that your deck is either brand new or has been previously oiled (not painted or varnished) the first thing we need to do is clean the deck with a good quality deck clean, acid wash.
If it’s new, please ensure you have waited a few weeks for the timber to age and the tannins to leach. (Not applicable to treated pine)

There are plenty of deck cleaning products available from your local hardware store. This works like a deep penetrating wash to clean off dirt, grime and tannins from the timber. A thorough soaking and a good scrub will do the job. Read the directions… I do! And it’s really easy if you like scrubbing decks.

Wash it all down and allow it to dry off in the sun naturally.
Another thing that we often do at Green and Home is Pressure Wash the deck first. This just gets rid of any stubborn stains or tannins that may not scrub off easy.. if you don’t have a Pressure Washer then all the general info above should have it looking great anyway.

Choosing Your Oil

When it comes to choosing the right oil, there is one simple rule that I stick to. You Get What You Pay For! It really is true. Go to the hardware store and you will see a variety of oils and stains. At Green and Home we like to stick to Two trusted brands, Intergrain and Feast Watson. I have tried the cheaper brands and they look nowhere near as good as the higher end oils. So, if you want a great finish, don’t skimp on the oil.
Hardwood decks look best when applied with a natural finish, whilst treated pines look good when stained with a darker finish.

Application

This is the fun part and you will need a few things for this.
1. Sheep’s wool applicator with a long handle
2. Decking brush for cutting into hard to reach areas
3. A basic paint tray
First up with a paintbrush we would usually go around and do all the hard to reach places and any areas that require a more detailed touch. After that you can bring in the big gun wool applicator.
Starting from the furthest section away, start applying an easy coat of oil, not too thick as we want it to really seep in and not be too wet to the eye. Do long straight strokes, working away and towards your point of exit.
Then after a day or so, depending on weather, apply another coat and do everything exactly the same as above.
That’s it! You’re all done!