Outdoors

How to prepare your deck for summer entertaining in 3 simple steps

Your deck is a unique haven, the one space in your home that doesn’t need pruning, weeding, dusting or vacuuming. Get your deck ready for the summer entertaining season by using Cabot’s products to create a low-maintenance timber finish you’ll love

Cabots decking oil

If you want to enhance the colour of your deck while keeping the natural features of the wood visible, you’ll need a timber decking oil. Before you start oiling your deck, it’s important to prepare the surface so you can get good results. In dry weather, this is a job you can get done in a single day.

You’ll need

+ New Timber Prep
+ Deck Clean
+ Deck Prep scrubbing brush
+ Deck Hand bucket
+ Deck Coat lambswool applicator
+ A high-quality paint brush
+ Aquadeck Decking Oil

Cabots decking oil

Step one: Weather your deck

If your deck is brand new, you’ll need to leave it exposed to the elements for 4 – 6 weeks to let the naturally-occurring tannins leach away. However, if you want to skip the weathering process, use Cabot’s New Timber Prep. Always follow Cabot’s New Timber Prep with Cabot’s Deck Clean. You can also use these products if you’re recoating timber that has previously been coated. Once your deck is ready to be treated, you’ll need to prepare it for oiling.

Step two: Prepare your deck

Dilute the Cabot’s Deck Clean with water, then use your brush to scrub it into the timber. This is an essential preparation product for cleaning and revitalising both new and old exterior timber surfaces prior to applying a topcoat. Be careful not to splash any people, pets, plants or painted surfaces with Deck Clean. Leave the solution on the timber for 20 minutes, then wash it off with water. When it’s dry, your timber is ready to coat.

Step three: Oil your deck

Give your Cabot’s Aquadeck a good stir before you start. Then start by carefully cutting in the edges of your deck with a brush, before using your Cabot’s Deck Coat applicator to apply the first coat. Oil 3-4 boards at a time and always work along the whole length of the boards. Stopping in the middle of a board may lead to patchy results. Try to work quickly – the oil will penetrate the timber on its own so there’s no need to overwork it, but also don’t apply the oil too thinly. After the first coat, allow your deck to dry (about 1 hour), then apply a second coat in the same direction as the first coat to smooth out any inconsistent areas and deepen the colour’s intensity. Leave to dry and voila! Your deck is ready for summer entertaining.


Ask for Cabot’s deck products at your local Bunnings, ColourPlus or Guthrie Bowron stores, and get expert project advice and live chat at cabots.co.nz.

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