When deciding on the best decking oil for your Merbau deck you really need to factor in a variety of variables to ensure you get the best finish with your budget in mind.
merbau deck with merbau pigment decking oil
Tip.1 Merbau timber decking is quite a dark hardwood timber, so if your deck is new and receiving its first treatment we recommend starting your journey with a Natural Pigment decking oil to a Light Oak. If you make the mistake of running with a dark pigment from the start you will not be able to go lighter. Whereas if you start light you can always go darker.
Here is our preferred finish as of 2019
The above finish is a Light Oak with a bit of Jarrah which has been turned into a factory finish for us.
Our Favorite combination for Merbau decking – 2 Coats of Light Oak with added Jarrah to maintain the natural appearance of the timber.
We recommend Natural/Light Oak with a touch of Jarrah decking oil due to the minimal use of pigments which helps prevent further darkening of your timbers. A good natural decking oil will showcase your timber whilst giving strong UV protection. Quiet often clients make the mistake of using Merbau pigment oil on there brand new deck resulting in an incredibly dark deck with little to no signs of the features of the timber.
That being said when it comes to colour there is no right or wrong – for those who want a little more Red out of Merbau here is 2 coats of Jarrah with our preferred oil.
Quick Rehash – New deck start with lighter pigments and enjoy the timber while you can – as you can go darker anytime down the line.
Which decking oil should you use for Merbau Timber?
We strongly recommend you give us a call to discuss your lifestyle and potential levels of traffic on your decking in order for us to give the correct advice.
Which then leads us to one of the most common questions should we use an oil or water-based product?
We now 100% opt for water based oils due to a variety of reasons – water wash up, no fumes, quick dry times and beautiful finishes being the first reasons that spring to mind.
Tip.2 it’s all good and well if your decks new but let’s say you have a deck that’s 5 – 10 years old and has had 5 – 6 treatments within its life time?
You may have a deck with a large variance in timber condition due to unbalanced exposure to the sun. In this instance, best practice is really to sand back your deck before running any other treatments to ensure you have a nice finish that will last the test of time. if your budget permits. If you’re on a budget and looking to spruce up your property for that special occasion – opting for a darker pigment of oil can be used to tie the areas together and to hide pot marks etc.
Tip.3 You could use a Merbau decking oil which has a strong Merbau pigment. In most cases this is the most cost-effective option when trying to get a uniformed look on a very old deck with various discolourations and pot/furniture markings. That being said its really delaying the inevitable As over time your timber will end up with so much build-up of product that you will loose the beautiful grain of your timber.
Tip.4 Always clean your deck quarterly or every 6 months with a High pressure washer – but Do not go out and buy yourself the strongest unit on the market as you will do more damage than good – Ideally you want to use the high-pressure washer at 1000 PSI and be careful not to get to close to the timber as you will rip the timber apart if you’re not careful
Tip.5 Before you Apply any decking all to your Merbau timber decking always give the deck a wash & scrub with Oxalic Acid – This can be purchased from most hardware stores – You simply use a broom with a tough bristle brush to apply and leave for 10 – 15 minutes before hosing down.
Tip.6 Let your deck dry for 24 hours before applying and oils to your Merbau deck.
Tip.7 Rotate your pots and furniture to help reduce tan lines caused by uneven UV exposure is certain areas.
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From the team at Deck Rejuvenation
If you think your deck might need sanding or stripping give us a call so we can look after this for you – We also have a similar article for oiling Spotted Gum Decking.
