decking maintenance Archives

It’s incredibly important to keep on top of your decking maintenance. You’ve spent a good deal of time and money on your deck, but it’s starting to show its age, or maybe you’ve fallen behind with maintenance. Whatever your reason for wanting to revive your decking, there are plenty of ways you can do it yourself without having to pay for expensive contractors (or even hiring one at all!). Here are four easy steps that will help restore the smoothness of your once-perfect decking:

What you’ll need:

A tough brush
Decking cleaner
A pressure washer or hose

1. Clear the decking

To begin, you need a completely clear decking space so you can thoroughly clean it, remove any furniture blocking access to the wood. Grab your tough brush and give the decking a good sweep to dislodge any dirt. Don’t worry if the brush doesn’t clear any tough dirt, the cleaner will loosen those up!

Your decking should be completely clear and all loose debris swept away.

2. Clean the area

Before you power ahead, read the instructions on the back of the packet of your chosen cleaner. Some cleaners don’t need water and can be poured directly onto your decking.

Pour your decking cleaner over the decking and immediately scrub it into the surface then leave it for 15 minutes to soak in. We used Ronseal Decking Cleaner as it removes dirt, grease, fungus, stains, algae, and mildew and saves you the hassle of heavy scrubbing.

Ensure the decking cleaner is thoroughly scrubbed in.

Once 15 minutes have passed, grab your pressure washer or hose and thoroughly wash your decking. Enjoy watching all the dirt buildup wash away and seeing your decking slowly revive!

Use your hose or power washer to wash away the dirt!

3. Stain your decking

Whilst this step is optional, we do recommend staining or treating your decking with an oil. We used a Cuprinol Anti-slip Deck Stain which colours your deck with a tough, durable water-repellent protective coat that resists cracking and peeling caused by weather. For Cuprinol, apply 2-3 coats evenly along the grain, avoiding overlaps, and allow each coat to dry fully before recoating. The stain should dry within 2-6 hours, depending on the nature of the surface and the weather conditions.

Cuprinol Anti-slip Decking Stain with invisible anti-slip microbeads gives a semi-transparent, matt finish that will revive your decking!

4. Enjoy your perfect decking!

After all that hard work, enjoy how perfect your clean decking looks! It’s now ready for warmer weather, BBQs, and plenty of footfall.

Recreate this beautiful softwood decking using our individual boards and rope handrails!

Looking for the best deals on decking?

Check out our amazing deals here on the eDecks website!

We also offer plenty of support and expert advice for most projects – and any products we sell online. Contact eDecks here for personalised advice for your project today.

At eDecks you can not only expect a good deal but also:

Superfast FREE delivery on orders over £150*

48 hour delivery on many products

Handy FREE installation guides (and even instructional videos!)

*Free delivery applies to most of the UK, but some areas may incur a charge, unfortunately – please check the eDecks website for more details.

The winter months can be harsh on all areas of your garden, but decking is often the hardest hit. In this blog, we are going to share tips and tricks for the ultimate maintenance so you can protect your decking and have it ready for summer!

Ronseal Decking Oil

This Ronseal oil is one of the most popular deck products for a reason, it’s easy to use and the process is incredibly simple. This particular product is a durable scuff-resistant oil that forms a waterproof barrier to protect against weathering, warping, swelling, drying and splitting, all of which are common issues caused by damp weather and, as a bonus, hardly changes the natural colour of your decking. Not only that, but it resists mould and algae growth and its fade resistant finish protects against UV rays. This oil is great for use on both hardwood and softwood decking.

2.5 litres only £25.49 each. Fully inclusive of VAT!

Ronseal Ultimate Decking Oil

If you have maintained your deck throughout the year, you may not want to do another full treatment. This ultimate decking protection gives superior nourishment and protection from all the elements with a natural finish similar to the classic Ronseal oil, it’s great if you have previously used this and want to give your decking some extra protection. It’s rainproof in just 90 minutes and resists mould and algae growth and also lasts twice as long as standard decking oils so you don’t need to worry about topping it up when summer comes back around.

5 litres only £35.60 each. Fully inclusive of VAT!

Joist End Grain Sealer

This product is a clear preserver, so it protects your decking whilst maintaining its colouring. It is formulated to protect against attack by wood-rotting fungi and will protect your deck from testing weather conditions but is only for use as a preservative. We recommend using two coats of this product for it to be more effective.

500 ml only £10.19 each. Fully inclusive of VAT!

Decking Protector Natural

Last but not least on our decking protection list is Ronseal’s natural decking protector. This product is a unique wax enriched formula that creates a superb barrier against water penetration and helps prevent discolouration by protecting the deck against constant wetting, drying, splitting and swelling. It resists greying, surface mould and algae growth and is ideal for spraying so you won’t have to scrub on your hands and knees.

5 litres only £28.55 each. Fully inclusive of VAT!

Looking for the best deals on decking maintenance?

Check out our amazing deals on decking maintenance here on the eDecks website!