Most independent homes in Canberra have at some point in time or the other installed decking or pergolas or both. Decks and pergolas are a great complement to a home and can be perfect for outdoor entertainment for most times of the year – at least if your home is located in and around Canberra. With proper care and attention, an installed wooden deck or pergola can last a life time. In this article we provide you with information you need to keep your installed decking and pergola in perfect shape and condition year after year.
Selecting the right product to protect your Decking or Pergolas
Given the extremities in the weather condition in and around Canberra, it is important to choose a quality product to protect your wooden decking or pergolas and keep it looking its best.
There are four standard types of treatment for wooden decking and pergolas. These include treatment through decking oil, decking paint, decking stain and decking preservatives.
A newly installed timber decking would probably require adequate treatment using all the above products. Maintaining an existing decking, deck construction or pergola on the other hand, might require treatment using one or more of these products.
As you might guess, each product performs a different specialized task and together, they help keep your wooden decking or pergola in top condition.
Wood Decking Oil
As the name suggests, wood decking oil is oil based Composite wood decking treatment. As the oil seeps through the pores of the wood, it highlights the wood grain and brings out the natural beauty of your wood.
Good quality wood decking oil will not only bring out the natural beauty of the wood but its presence within the wood structure protects the wood. When buying wood decking oil, be sure to select oil of the right color. Wood decking oil is available in a range of wood colors. You can also ask for ‘clear’ color decking oil.
Wood decking oil gets its colors because of the wood strainers that are mixed with the oil. When you apply the oil with matching color over your wooden decking or pergola, it will enhance the existing color. If you wish to change the color of your wood decking or pergola, you will need to apply several coats of the appropriate colored decking oil.
We recommend you first apply decking oil to a small part of your decking. These days, you can also buy advanced formulae decking oils. These contain ultra-violet filters and protect your Composite wood decking from the harsh effects of sunlight.
Wood Decking Stain
A wood decking stain is used to intensely enhance an existing color or change the existing color of your wooden decking or pergola. As you might guess, wood decking stain is available in several ‘wood’ colors and comes in matt or satin finish. When you select a wood decking stain you can also select a ‘stain and seal’ product instead of a straight stain. The former stains and seals the wood thus protecting it from degradation. Satin finish will give you a lovely mirror finish and is generally used on areas that people don’t walk on.
Wood Decking Paint
If you are budget conscious, you can opt for decking paint. The wooden deck needs to be carefully prepared (through cleaning and application of sealer), before application of decking repairs.
Wood Decking Preservatives
These could be chemicals, oils and sealers – all have the same goal, i.e. protecting your wooden decking or Deck maintenance.
If you are adventurous DIY type and have the time and patience on your hand, you could probably do a good job of maintaining your decking, Deck installation and pergolas. Otherwise, it might be a good idea to call in the experts at Turnkey Decks, Canberra.
Get more details about Local decking contractor and Local decking supplier
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