Decking Oil Failure

[Rick Hughes]

Just some feedback ... after advice here, when I finished my decking project last year gave it 2 full coats of Liberon decking oil.

The decking was not used as at end of summer, so no foot traffic at all ... now this year it has seriously deteriorated ....take a look at:

when completed -

now -

and

That seems terrible performance in only 6 months.

Been in touch with Liberon .. they advise full removal with pressure washer, then full sanding or deck & reapply ....

That means the expensive Liberon has been a waste in cost & and now the effort & cost of redoing this will be significant.

The area of deck not exposed to rain is unaffected.

[Andrew Mawson]

I'm sure there are many here that will disagree, but in my opinion decking is never a satisfactory solution in our climate. It is a quick cheap 'makeover' solution where dramatic changes are wanted. Far more satisfactory is some form of paving. Both solutions will get green slimy growths, especially if trees are close, but the paving won't slowly rot away like the decking.

Just perhaps if the decking were teak or maybe elm it might have some chance of lasting. I REALLY went off decking last time we were house hunting (7 years ago). The number of slippery, shoddy, tacky looking bits of 'makeover' we were exposed to nailed on round houses we were shown was legion.

Andrew

[Andy Cap]

IANAE but that doesn't look like any oil I've used, it looks more like a varnish ! I don't understand how an oil, which is absorbed by the wood, would go patchy like that but no doubt the Decking expert will be along soon to explain the difference.

Andy C

[meow2222]

ie buy more of the failed stuff. Some companies have such cheek

NT

[The Medway Handyman]

Properly installed decking will last for 30 years +.

B&Q and Wickes 'how to' leaflets are to blame for that...

[The Medway Handyman]

I've never seen anything like that before. For some reason it seems to not have penetrated the wood - which is the entire point of oil as opposed to water based stain.

I think Liberon are ducking the issue. Suggesting you sand the deck is ridiculous.

[LumpHammer]

I've used Liberon and B&Q own-brand decking oil and they've never sat on surface as that appears to have done. The oil I've used has always soaked in quickly.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Decking timber far too wet at time of treatment?

[stuart noble]

I don't finish any outdoor timber. It certainly doesn't prolong its life, and most of it just looks garish to me. If the silver grey look is good enough for our royal parks, it's good enough for me!

Drying oils such as linseed and tung are film forming. If they're sufficiently diluted with solvent they don't normally get a chance to do that

[GMM]

When I installed a deck (at the last place), I was advised to let it weather for a year before oiling, to lose whatever it is that's often on the surface of the timber. Of course, one year became 3 or so. then I cleaned it all up and oiled it but we moved the following autumn so I've no idea of the longevity of the treatment, but it certainly lasted the first year. On the other hand, my brother installed an area of decking and put something on it right away (no idea what it was) only for it to start coming away just like this during the same summer it was installed.

[Rick Hughes]

As you know I put a lot of effort into the job ...so frustrating this has happened. Liberon suggest that machine of the grooves on the decking had polished the surface stopping oil from penetrating properly.

[Rick Hughes]

Nope was completely dry ... all wood had been dry stored before fixing and it was dry for 2 weeks before it was 'oiled' At time stuff seemed to soak right in as it is supposed to.

[Capitol]

IME 10 years if you're lucky, often 7 and a perpetual maintenance problem. Another stupid idea imported from the USA. It's problems are closely followed by felt/shingle roofs. AM is right, paving is a much lower maintenance problem if you put it down properly.

[Capitol]

I've seen the results of pressure washing decking, splinters and raised grain everywhere. Don't go there.

[Brian Gaff]

Yes my neighbour has been cleaning it with various substances every about 8 weeks since it was built. Not only that but I suspect some creatures have moved in under it, as I can hear them when its quiet at dead of night. I'll stick to my, now a bit uneven, concrete!

Brian

[The Medway Handyman]

I've been building them for 14 years and not had any sign of failure.

An environmental disaster, unable to cope with slopes or level differences, makes a huge mess, uncomfortable under foot, wrecks kid's knees if the fall over....

[The Medway Handyman]

That's never been the case on the 100+ decks I have built. Especially since you left it for 2 weeks to weather.

[The Medway Handyman]

I've pressure washed dozens including my own. Never had a problem.

What do they use for deck boards where you live? Balsa wood?

[The Medway Handyman]

The entire point of using oil is that it sinks in, something to do with smaller molecule size(?). What you describe is common with water based treatments.

[John Rumm]

Odd, that looks like it did not really penetrate at all (kind of the whole point of using an oil finish!)

Hmm nice... bet they did not offer a massive discount on the replacement.

I think I might be inclined to do a test with a new bit of timber to see what works... It may be that the oil needs thinning down to encourage more take up by the wood.

The alternative might be a Sadolin style of wood finish - which forms a more durable film finish as well as penetrating.