Which oil should I use on my deck?

[Darren]

Our new deck is almost complete, but before I can wheel out the barbie I have to oil it. We've gone with spotted gum decking boards and we love the look of them, so we want to use something that won't change the colour of the boards. Any suggestions?

[Jackson]

Hey @Darren - if you want to retain the natural colour of the decking boards, your best bet is to use a clear finish. However, I wouldn't go doing it straight away. Most manufacturers recommend weathering the deck for at least 4 - 6 weeks before applying any oil. This allows the natural tannins and oils to seep out from the timber, and ensures an even finish.

It's also worth mentioning that if you want to ensure the longevity of your deck, you'll definitely need to repeat the clean/oil process every 6 - 12 months. Otherwise you'll end up with a grey deck and only a distant memory of that beautiful spotted gum colour.

[MartyH]

Looks good Darren. Can you tell us why you chose spotted gum? I'm interested to hear people's opinions on spotted gum versus merbau. And what are the width of your boards?

[Darren]

Thanks @MartyH, the main reason we chose spotted gum is because we like the varied colour of the boards, something a bit different. These boards vary from 130 to 135mm wide.

[Dave]

looking good @Darren

how are you nailing/screwing the deck down?

[Darren]

Thanks, @Dave. We used 10 - 8 x 65mm decking screws (2500 of them to be exact!)

[DIY_Dan]

Hey Darren, I have a spotted gum front deck and used Intergrain Natures Timber Oil - comes up a treat. I've just given mine a going over with Reviva before giving it another coat - I'll post a pic if I get around to doing it soon. As others have said, you should let it weather before coating, but you can also get around it by using a combo of Power Prep and Reviva - supposed to speed things along a little.

[Jason]

Hey @Darren,

How's your deck looking now? Have you re-oiled it since?

Jason

[Darren]

Hey @Jason the deck is looking good but it is in need of a fresh coat to bring it back to how it was looking 12 months ago. As you can see, it gets a fair bit of use! Now I've just got to find the time to get out there and do it!