What to expect when cleaning a deck after flooding

After floodwaters have receded, your timber deck is likely to have swelled with water and to be contaminated with debris. In other words, your deck will be dirty and very, very wet.

What you can do about it

Wait for the water to subside.

Decks are made to be durable through extreme weather so there is no need to worry about your deck before you can see it and safely access it again.

Wash your deck.

Using CUTEK^® Quickclean, or any household detergent with water, wash your deck with a soft broom. This will remove any debris and minimise the chances of fungal growth or other contaminants from settling into the timber.

Rinse thoroughly.

After washing, use your garden hose to rinse the deck thoroughly. Ensure all soap and debris is gone from the surface of the deck.

Allow the deck to dry.

Depending on how long your deck was submerged, the type of timber, and the upcoming weather forecast it could take a several days or weeks to dry.

Once your deck is thoroughly dry, you may decide to touch it up with a fresh coat of CUTEK^®. Ensure the deck is completely dry before applying any product to it to ensure the best results.

If you need assistance or advice about maintaining your CUTEK^® after flood, call 1300 CUTEK or send us a message to find out more.

The post How to Clean Your Deck After Flooding appeared first on CUTEK® Timber Protection.

To showcase the incredibly restoring power of CUTEK® Restore, we decided to apply it to a drab, weathered timber reclining chair. Note, this chair had not previously been coated with a CUTEK® protective wood oil. The chair was severely discoloured and moss and fungi had begun to take hold. We decided to apply CUTEK® Restore to only one side of the chair, allowing the restoring agent to clean and brighten the timber for 15 minutes before water blasting to clean.

The results speak for themselves:

Notice how the CUTEK® Restore easily removes the remnants of the fungi and moss from the surface of the timber. Not only is the timber cleaned, but it is restored. The natural beauty of the grain and the rich colour of the wood returns to its original appearance.

Next up: protect the timber with a clear coat of CUTEK® Wood Preservative to resist the damage of moisture, fungal decay, mould and termites. A simple, fast, cost effective process to ensure this chair has many more summers in service.

Do you have some outdoor timber furniture that needs a facelift? Be sure to drop into your local CUTEK® stockist to grab CUTEK® Restore and bring your old timber furniture back to life.

The post The restoring power of CUTEK® Restore appeared first on CUTEK® Timber Protection.

The timber needs proper preparation before finishing with a heavy-duty product that will withstand ongoing exposure.

Common reasons for peeling:

• The deck wasn’t properly prepared; poor preparation can stop the oil from penetrating and means that it fails to protect the wood.
• The wrong type of stain or sealer was used; a heavy duty exterior deck oil is required to withstand exposure to the elements.
• An inferior quality decking stain was used.
• Too much stain was applied, or the coats were too thick and not allowed to dry between applications.

How to fix and prevent future peeling

In just 3 steps you’ll have the job done and ensure that your timber deck is protected for years to come.

1. Remove the weathered, peeling layers

The first step is to remove all traces of the peeling deck coating and take the timber back to bare wood by stripping or sanding it.

After stripping or sanding the wood, CUTEK® Wood Stripper will remove the final traces of its previous coating.

Depending on the state of the wood, it may be possible to use CUTEK® Wood Stripper without sanding.

Tip: As you scrape the wood, reset any nails or screws that stick out from the surface.

2. Clean and rinse the wood

Once stripped, the wood will need a good restoring scrub. CUTEK® Restore restoration agent will remove the residue from the stripping process. Once applied, a power rinse with a high-pressure washer will be necessary.

Tip: Use a lower setting to avoid damaging the wood fibre.

3. Seal the wood

The final step is to finish with two coats of a hard wearing timber deck oil that will excel in the most challenging of environments, such as CUTEK® Extreme CD50. Each coat must be applied evenly with brush, paintpad or roller.

When using a CUTEK® Colourtone, it is essential that the oil is stirred frequently and applied in thin coats. The wood must feel completely dry and non-greasy before application of the second coat.

Tip: After stripping and cleaning the wood, apply the finish as soon as possible to avoid unnecessary exposure to the elements.

The CUTEK® difference

Treating timber upon installation can prevent the occurrence of peeling deck stain. CUTEK® oil penetrates the timber to protect it from the inside out. Where other coatings envelope the wood, CUTEK® Extreme CD50 deeply diffuses into the timber. It lasts longer in tougher climates and won’t peel like other products.

Contact us for more advice on how to seal wood utilising CUTEK®’s wood finishing range.

The post Why is my deck stain peeling? How to fix and prevent it appeared first on CUTEK® Timber Protection.