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Decking Re-treatment

Posted by AndyCharles-EnborneGardeningCo on March 9, 2011 at 9:21pm in Landscaping

I've been asked to re-treat some decking that was last treated 4-5 years ago, when installed. It is currently treated with a pretty heavy-duty opaque stain that is wearing off and there is a fair amount of algae. I don't know what product it was originally treated with, but it looks terrible.

I assume that I need to remove the algae first (I intend to use Owatrol Netrol but am open to alternative suggestions) and clean, but do I then need to take the old stain off? If so, what's the best way of doing it? If I don't need to, what are the best products to over-coat the old stain, given that I don't know what it is?

 

Two other questions - do I just treat the top surface, or do I need to somehow try to get the stain between the planks to do the sides? The garden also has a flight of steps made from unstained decking. They are very steep and very dangerously slippy when wet. Are there any anti-slip products that can be applied and actually work?

 

Thanks in advance.

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Tags: algae, company, decking, enborne, gardening, non-slip, treatment
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Replies

  • Tim Haywood March 9, 2011 at 10:42pm
    I did a similar job last year and ended up sanding the whole lot down to get a satisfactory result. After cleaning, the old stain lifted (peeled) in places and the new stain (the same stuff) wouldn't cover and looked patchy.
  • Simon Smith March 9, 2011 at 11:12pm
    Yea i have to agree, those paint on colour type stains are awful when they inevitably start to peel. Cleaning it off once peeling in places is a real nightmare, leave much more time than you think or if you are in a position to turn it down discretion may be the better part of valour. Nothing like a customer who is annoyed about how much something cost because they underestimate how much work it is.
  • phil smith yewtreelandscapes.com March 9, 2011 at 11:38pm
    taking into account how much labour it may take in sanding it all down depending on the size of the decking area it may well be cheaper to replace the decking boards, and then treat them with linseed oil, this not only brings the natural grains and knotts out but it will not peel and can be treated each and every year onwards 
  • AndyCharles-EnborneGardeningCo March 10, 2011 at 10:06am

    Many thanks all.

     

    The boards are 3x5m of softwood with countersunk screws, and grooved, which is the main reason that I can't see how to get a decent finish. As the existing stain is one of the paint types, I assume it really needs to come off, but I'll never get it out of the grooves. I assume that if I just rub it down as best I can, then restain, it'll just peel off again (and I also assume that if I do that, I can't use an oil based stain). Is there a chemical stripper solution? I don't like the idea of using one though - not the least because of the plants on one edge of the deck.

     

    Perhaps all I can do is repaint, live with the finish, and re-do it every year?

     

    For the steps, the only product I could find that might work was Liberon anti-slip coating. I ruled out the mesh or strips for exactly the cheesegrater effect you mention, Karl!

     

    I really don't want to walk away from this job as they are very good customers (and really nice people) and I want to help them out.

  • AndyCharles-EnborneGardeningCo March 10, 2011 at 12:54pm

    Many thanks for the usual excellent advice Karl.

     

    As a general point, why do manufacturers persist in producing products that are more troube than they're worth, and why do people persist in using them? Damn annoying if you ask me...

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