How to maintain Merbau deck?

[smhasnain]

 

 

 

 

 

Hi

I replaced my 23-year-old, 12m deck with new marabou slates in June 2023, and then in October 2023, I treated them with Cabots Merbau Aquadeck Exterior Decking oil. Throughout the process, I was continuously getting advice from the experts at Bunnings.

Now, I feel it’s time to give the deck a bit of a refresh, especially since the heavy traffic areas have gotten quite dirty. I’ve attached some current photos for you to take a look at. Could you please let me know what steps I should take now and what materials would be best to make the deck look brilliant again?

Thanks so much!

Syed

[JacobZ]

Hi Syed (@smhasnain),

While your deck still looks great, it looks like it's time for a maintenance coat of oil to have it looking brand new.

Start by giving your deck a good clean with Cabot's Deck Clean and a Long Handle Deck Scrub Brush. Check out How To Clean a Deck for some guidance.

Once clean, the process is much the same as what you did initially. Apply 1-2 coats of the Cabot's Merbau Aquadeck Exterior Decking Oil with an oil applicator and a paint brush. Check out How To Oil Your Deck for guidance on this process.

Let us know how you go and if you have any questions along the way, please don't hesitate to reach out.

Jacob

[smhasnain]

Hi Jacob,

Thank you for your prompt reply. I am wondering if you could also explain the difference of using Aquadeck oil over water based stain (Merbau) on my slates. Can i apply any of this on cloudy day when ambient temperature is less than 20degree. Thanks

[JacobZ · Accepted solution]

Hi @smhasnain,

Aquadeck, and more specifically, Cabot's Merbau Aquadeck Exterior Decking Oil is a decking oil with merbau coloured water-based stain added. 

If you were to use just a stain, you would have to apply another product over the top. It's just easier to use the oil and stain combo, so I'd suggest sticking with it.

You can apply your oil on any day where the temperature is between 10-30 degrees, but if there is rain forecast, I would put it off till the weather clears.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[smhasnain]

Thank you very much for your valuable advice and guidance.

I have cleaned the deck and attached some images for your reference. I’ve noticed that certain areas of the boards appear to have darker, more brownish patches compared to the rest of the surface. I would appreciate your advice on how to address this inconsistency in colour. Should I scrub these areas further or consider using sandpaper to achieve a more uniform appearance?

Additionally, I have a few other questions:

1. Do the boards require further cleaning before applying the finishing product?
2. Is it necessary for the boards to be completely clean and free of residue before application?
3. I have some leftover products from a previous project: approximately 3L of Aqua Deck Merbau and 1L of a water-based Deck and Exterior Stain. Can these two products be mixed and applied together, or should they be used separately? I’d like to understand which approach is more effective, cost-efficient, and likely to deliver the best results.

I would greatly appreciate your expert advice on the above points. Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

[EricL]

Hello @smhasnain 

In its current condition if you were to oil it now, there is the possibility that some sections will be darker than others due to the stain of the old oil still on the surface. It's also possible that some sections will not absorb the oil properly because there are still sections of your deck that are sealed with the old oil. In order to get a uniform finish, I suggest sanding the entire surface back to wood. This will remove all the unevenness of the surface and bring you back to the original surface of the wood.

Once the decking panels have been sanded and cleaned properly, you can then make your plans on staining its surface. Please do not mix stains as they are not compatible with each other and will produce an unreliable finish. I suggest using only one product for your entire deck, I recommend visiting your local store and looking at the oil and stain sample board in the paint department so that you'll have a better idea of what the finish colour will look like.

Here are some handy step-by-step guides:

• How to clean a deck
   
• How to sand a deck
   
• Choosing the right finish for your deck
   
• How to oil your deck

If you need further assistance, please let me know.

Eric

[smhasnain]

Hi Eric,

Thank you so much for your valuable advice — I really appreciate it! I’ll go ahead with the hand sanding using 200-grit sandpaper on the boards that show signs of old oil before applying a fresh coat to the entire deck. Is this ok?  I’ll also avoid mixing stains as you recommended.

Just one quick question: I have about 3 litres of Cabot’s Aquadeck in Merbau left over from around 4 years ago. Would it still be okay to use on the boards, or would you recommend buying a new tin of Aquadeck?

Thanks again for your help!

Best regards,

syed

[MitchellMc]

Hi @smhasnain,

I think you'll find the grit would be 240, as I haven't seen 200 before. If 240-grit doesn't remove the previous coating, you can try using 180-grit.

I suspect three-year-old oil might be at the end of its usable life. The pigments have likely sunk to the bottom of the can, and it might be difficult to get them into suspension again. I'd recommend buying some new oil as you don't want to go to the effort of sanding and have old oil ruin the finish.

Mitchell

[smhasnain]

Hi,

I recently purchased brand-new Aquadeck Merbau and applied two coats on my deck after using grate 240.

 

 

However, I am not entirely satisfied with the outcome.

Could you please review the appearance of the deck after the two coats, and compare it with the previously submitted photos taken after the pressure wash but before coating?

I would also appreciate any suggestions on how I might further enhance the sharpness and overall appearance of the deck.

Thank you very much for your assistance

[EricL]

Hello @smhasnain 

Thank you very much for sharing those pictures of your newly revamped deck. Looking at your first pictures and these new ones, your deck freshly sealed deck looks much better. I suggest putting on an extra coat to make it a bit darker.

Let me call on our experienced members @Dave-1 and @Nailbag for their recommendations.

If you need further assistance, please let us know.

Eric