How to Restore Wooden Decking

Restoring wooden decking

Restoring wooden decking to its original beauty can be done in just a single weekend. Wooden decking needs care and maintenance in order to stay beautiful and well-protected for many years. WOCA Exterior Deck Cleaner will remove stubborn dirt and mold and mildew. A thorough cleaning is necessary to prepare the wood for receiving an oil treatment. WOCA Exterior Deck Oil penetrates deep into the wood. It hardens inside the wood pores, which result in a stronger, harder wood. It protects decking from damaging UV rays and water, and also helps to repel dirt. Your deck will look and feel great!  In just one weekend, you can feel the WOCA Difference for yourself!

Materials Needed

• WOCA Exterior Cleaner
• Cleaning Brush
• Garden Hose
• Sandpaper
• Color Sample/Testers
  (If desired)
• WOCA Exterior Oil
• Oil Applicator or brush
• Polishing Pad or Polishing Machine

Prepping the Deck

1. Remove furniture and other miscellaneous objects (planters, etc.) from the deck.
2. Soak the wood with plenty of water. If possible use a garden hose.
3. Mix Exterior Cleaner with water in the ratio 1:2 and apply it with a nylon brush or spray. For extreme dirt, the Exterior Cleaner may be used undiluted.
4. Scrub the soaked wood lengthwise the wood grain till the wood appears clean. Repeat the cleaning if necessary.
5. Immediately after cleaning, hose down the surface with water.
6. Clean tools in water.
7. Leave the wood to dry for approx. 24 hours. The wood must be completely dry before applying oil treatment.
8. Remove fiber rising with sandpaper.

Treating the Deck

WOCA Exterior Oil, which is recommended for the actual oiling, has two unique properties: it contains a UV-filter to protect against fading and discoloration from the sun, and the special consistency makes it very easy to work with. The result is a wooden deck with a well-protected, hard-wearing and water-repellent surface.

Choose a Color Finish

1. Make the application in dry weather only. The minimum temperature should be 55.4°F. Avoid direct sunlight and high temperatures.
2. Stir the oil thoroughly before use.
3. Apply an even and thin coat of WOCA Exterior Oil with a brush or WOCA Oil Applicator. Treat the end grain wood first. The wet oil may have a white shade. When the water has evaporated after a few minutes, the wood will appear oiled.
4. Wipe off any excess oil with clean cotton cloths after no more than 5 minutes. Take particular care of removing excess oil from joints and grooves.
5. If the surface does not appear saturated with oil, repeat steps 3 and 4.
6. When the wood is dry, it may be polished with a polishing pad or polishing machine to ensure an extra hard-wearing surface.
7. It takes 24 to 48 hours for the oil to harden thoroughly. Weather conditions and outdoor temperature determine drying time. The wood must not be exposed to water during this period.

Apply the Stain

Use the manufacturer's color chart as a guide to selecting your color. There are different levels of coverage in the various stain options. For this project, we've used a natural finish. For more coverage, go with an opaque stain. Do a small test area on the decking using WOCA Color Samples to make sure you’re going to get the results you want. Always read the manufacturer's instructions on the container for any special considerations when using their product.