Decking aftercare
Decking after care.
Tanalised wood is pressure treated with preservatives to stop / reduce rotting and boring beetle. This has long term benefits to keep your decking life extended top between 8 to 11 years on average.
Once a new deck is installed it may well have just come out of the tank so will still be “wet” and needs to dry thoroughly before sealing or staining.
You can test this by pouring a small amount of water on the timber , if it beads / sits on top of the timber then it is still too wet and will need about 30 days to dry properly. If the water is absorbed into the wood easily, it’s ready to seal or stain.
- Pour a little water on the wood.
- If the water beads up, it’s still too wet to finish.
- If the water is absorbed into the wood easily, it’s ready to seal or stain.
Some recommend to initially apply a coat of Universal preserver that is clear and importantly WAX FREE such as https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/barrettine-premier-universal-preservative NB – This will make the timber slightly darker. Your timber is already preserved from the pressure tanks so this is not totally necessary b but is never a bad thing ;
however
It is recommended to apply a coat of UV decking oil as really the ultimate defence against light and weather such as https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com/product/manns-premier-uv-decking-oil
There are other brands for sure but these guys seem pretty good ( links above) and give free delivery over a £30 spend https://www.wood-finishes-direct.com