How to Care for Timber Decking

Timber decking can last for decades when properly cared for, but it’s important to maintain your decking if you’d like to keep it looking good. Here is our list of tips to help you keep your decking at its best and ensure that you don’t need to unnecessarily replace parts of or the whole deck.

1. Prevent discolouration by removing debris, droppings, and food: a discoloured deck looks old and damaged, even though it’s just the surface. To avoid this, make sure that you regularly clean and sweep your deck to remove fallen berries, bird droppings, and food waste from BBQs.
2. Clean your deck regularly: one of the best ways to avoid fungus build up and mould is to clean your deck regularly. Do not use bleach on  your timber deck, since it will break down the lignin which holds the wood together. You can use a mixture of water with citric acid if you would like to brighten up the timber, or hydrogen peroxide if you would like to lighten any stains. We also recommend using a fungicide/insecticide once per year to kill off any hidden pests or problems before they spread.
3. Top up the water protection and finish with decking oil: this treatment acts as a preserver to avoid water damage and stop dirt from accumulating. You should apply two coats to a dry clean deck, but check the instructions on your product in case it has specific requirements. Decking oil is preferable to a sealant, since it penetrates deeper into the wood to prevent moisture from affecting your timber.
4. Check for shards or splinters: as well as avoiding injury, shards and splinters show that the wood and external seal has broken, which may allow moisture to penetrate your timber decking even if it has been treated. Splinters and breaks should be sanded down and covered with sealer – in some cases you may need to completely replace that part of your deck, depending on the damage.