I have a balcony constructed from cedarwood decking. When the decking was originally laid, about 3 years ago, it had a wonderful lustrous reddish-brown colour, which has gradually faded until now its usual colour is a silver-grey. But the odd thing is, when it rains, the water seems to bring up the original vibrant colour, which stays until the wood dries again, when it goes back to grey. Does anyone have the explanation for this phenomenon? Might it be possible to retain the original colour even when the wood is dry - without using a stain?
Ken