Vitex deck staining

[farmdog]

Hi there

I have put down a Vitex deck and want to stain or oil it. What product is recommended? I also have some that was laid about 12 weeks before the rest of the deck (because df lockdown) and it has greyed off different to the rest. Is there any way to restore it so it all looks the same?

Thanks

Jase

[EricL]

Hello @farmdog

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. Thank you for joining us and sharing your question about staining your deck.

Brand new decks are usually given time to season. This allows the tannins to leach out of the timber giving it the perfect condition for oiling and staining. If decking timber is stained or oiled too early tannins deep inside the wood will simply push the oil and stains to the surface giving you a patched finish on your deck. 

If part of your deck is already seasoned and you wish to bring back its timber colour, I suggest using Intergrain 1L UltraPrep Timber Cleaner. Its non-bleaching formula contains oxalic acid, which is a naturally occurring, bio-degradable organic acid that brings back the natural look of timber.

You can accelerate the process for your new deck by using Cabot's 2L New Timber Prep. It is designed to remove tannins and oils from bare new timber surfaces to allow for immediate coating. New Timber Prep skips the recommended timber weathering period of 4-6 weeks for new timber. If you have an offcut of your deck, I recommend bringing it to your local store so that you can test some decking oils and stains on it and see which one you like.

Here are some handy step-by-step guides:

• How to clean a deck
• How to oil your deck

​​​​​​If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric