Decking oils are typically clear to lightly tinted and aim to nourish and protect the timber while preserving its natural look. Stains provide more colour depth and stronger UV filtering — ranging from transparent natural tones to semi-transparent tinted finishes. Both penetrate the timber rather than sitting on the surface, and neither will peel or flake as they wear. The right choice depends on your timber species, condition, and how much colour modification you want.

The clean is done first, but the timber must dry for a minimum of 24 hours before any oil or stain is applied. Most jobs are completed across two visits — one day for the clean, the next for the coating. We coordinate this so the work flows efficiently and you're not waiting around.

In most cases, yes. Grey weathering is caused by UV breakdown and surface oxidisation — a specialist deck cleaner or oxalic acid treatment lifts the grey to reveal the original timber colour underneath. Heavily weathered decks may need light sanding to fully restore the surface, which we can quote as part of the job.

Every deck clean is a soft wash — biodegradable cleaning solution applied at low pressure, then rinsed gently along the timber grain. High-pressure washing damages timber fibres, splinters the surface, and pits the boards — it's the most common cause of long-term deck damage. We never use high pressure on timber decking.

Sometimes. If the timber has raised fibres, peeling old coating, or significant surface damage, sanding is needed before applying a new oil or stain. We assess this during the quote and confirm whether sanding is required and what it costs. Skipping necessary sanding is a common cause of premature coating failure.

Not without stripping the existing paint first. Oil and stain cannot penetrate through paint. Stripping paint from a deck is labour-intensive and the cost needs to be weighed against whether the result justifies the work. We'll advise you honestly on whether switching is worthwhile for your particular deck.

Standard application is two coats for full protection and even colour. Heavily weathered or very absorbent timber may need a third coat — we'll let you know before applying any extra coats. Most decks look and perform best with two well-applied coats with the recommended inter-coat drying time.

Queensland's UV is intense. Oiled decks typically need refreshing every 1–2 years; stained decks every 2–4 years depending on the product. Decks in full sun, near pools, or with heavy foot traffic will need more frequent attention. We'll give you a specific maintenance schedule for your deck.

Merbau, spotted gum, hardwood ironbark, blackbutt, and treated pine are the most common Queensland decking timbers. Each has different density and absorption characteristics, so product selection varies — we match the oil or stain to your specific timber species.

Most quality deck oils and stains allow light foot traffic within a few hours of application, but we recommend avoiding wet conditions or heavy use for 24–72 hours depending on the product. We'll give you specific guidance for the product applied to your deck.

Yes. All deck services are backed by our 30-day workmanship guarantee. The oil or stain product itself carries the manufacturer's warranty, which we'll provide details for at the time of service.