It may go in and out of fashion, but if used creatively and laid properly, decking can be a stylish, affordable and practical addition to the garden.
But if you don’t look after your decking, it can soon become a moss-covered ice rink.
Many people when faced with a troublesome deck, will replace it. But you may not have to – it is possible to revitalise your existing decking and make it look like new again!
For a few hours’ work, you can save yourself a fortune on a new deck.
What to do
First, repair any damaged boards. Then use a broom to sweep up any debris, like leaves and twigs.
Now you need to clean off the algae and moss. You can get down on your hands and knees with a brush and a bucket of water and scrub it. Or you can borrow a jet wash and spray it off in a fraction of the time.
When it is clean and dry, sand it down to expose the pores, so it can absorb more of the treatment. Then paint it with a stain, adding another coat or two as it dries. Your deck should be good as new, and will last for years!
David Domoney is a Chartered Horticulturalist, Broadcaster, and Author. David has worked with a number of the UK’s leading garden retailers as a plant buyer and strategic consultant. With more than 30 years experience, in horticulture, David is as passionate about plants now as he was when he bought his first plant at a village fete.
I’ve scrubbed & cleAned my decking with products from the DIY stores. Then, when dry, restained with the best products. But it just comes off. Would Sadolin work better (I use in window frames)!
Thanks
J
Hi Julia, Sorry to hear that. Bear in mind that staining only works on wood decking. If it’s just coming off, it could be that something is blocking the stain from soaking into the wood – maybe you have a coat of preservative on the wood surface? If this is the case, try sanding it down to expose the wood pores, so they can absorb the treatment. DD
Thanks a lot for the knowledge you have been given to us about How to: repair and revitalise old decking and care for garden timber. It’s a very useful article.