Decking Help

GoonDog365

Hello, First time post so sorry if a.) this has been asked before or b.) this is in the wrong place.

My wife and I want to restore our decking which is around 35m^2 in softwood with grooves to its natural finish if possible.  Around 3 years ago we applied Ronseal decking stain and again last summer but this just scuffs off (we have two small children), I jet washed it yesterday and got it back to the base wood but it has a silvery dull finish.  Looking on various web sites there appear to be so many different products and so many different prices.

I was hoping someone could recomend the best method and products we could use

Regards Iain

bluejan

Rather than a stain I am going to use decking oil, it is new decking done last year, I am going to wait for it to dry out and apply the oil to protect

Fairygirl

Hi Goondog- I've had decking before and just used one of the clear preservatives rather than a colour. I've noticed that all these coloured finishes, including the ones for fences, seem to peel off as they are water based and  form a 'skin'. The oils would be a much better choice than these too.

mike2li

Hi 

Not being a pro painter , but work with them and been in the building trade 35 years i doubt you will every get the ingrained markings out of your decking.If you jet washed most of the stain from last year makes me think it was a water based stain and not oil based. If your happy with the colour you have now then oil or a light coloured oil based stain. I use cuprinol oil based stain on my shed and planters guaranteed 5 years , and water based on my fences. If you have any off cuts of decking or try a small area with oil or light coloured stain see what it comes up like.The silvery grey colour is just weathered timber and oil alone won't change the colour. Oil based will give a stonger finish and help with the scuff marks, or get them to wear slippers.

ch

artjak

There may be a non-slip oiled finish, sometimes decking is lethal in the wet.