Decking Restoration
Is your decking showing it's age? Does it become slippery and dangerous when wet? Are parts of it rotting away?
Annual maintenance involving a clean down and then re-sealing with decking oil is easy to talk about, but for most people, actually keeping up with such a routine is a different matter.
Before long, your once beautiful deck is starting to look shabby and you worry that it may fall into disrepair.
Speak with Paul on 07718 782828
What's involved with decking restoration?
We start with a power wash, operating at low pressure. This is important because it is all too easy to damage the wood if too much force is used.
Pressure washing will clean away any build up of surface algae,dirt and grime, preparing the wood for additional treatment or finishing as necessary.
If the surface has been heavily stained by algae, it may be necessary to apply a chemical treatment to fade this way. For badly stained areas a power scrub may be also necessary prior to re-oiling.
Decking can be subject to rust stains from screws and other fastenings. It is also prone to whitening due to the UV effects of sunlight. In such cases we can provide remedy with anti-oxide treatments to remove staining and wood brighteners to restore colour.
In cases where the surface has been treated with a paint-on decking stain, we'll often find this to be flaking off and usually looking rather the worse for wear.
In such cases, all the decking stain must be removed with paint stripper and the wood returned to it's natural state, before we can begin to treat with decking oil.
We only use high quality decking oil and strongly recommend applying two coats. The second coat requires less oil and goes on quickly, so unless the budget is very tight, it's false economy not to bother.
Decking oil will help to prevent the timber from absorbing water and in most cases will also provides some UV protection as well. Decking oils are available in a various colours and with clear finishes through to darker ones.
A recently oiled deck with have a kind of satin wet look and even a clear finish will add quite a bit more depth to the colour of the wood.
Protection doesn't last forever though, and most people find that an annual programme of regular maintenance is needed to safeguard their decking investment.
How much does decking cleaning cost?
Quoting a price for decking restoration can be rather more involved than for other surfaces. A lot depends on how the deck was originally treated, whether there has been any deterioration of the timbers and whether any repairs are needed, such as the replacement of rotten boards or parts thereof. For this reason we prefer to quote for each job individually.
We quote prices for flat areas and steps by the square metre, and for railings and balustrades by the linear metre.
We need to account for materials such as decking oil, disposable items and cleaning agents. We also consider whether extra time or multiple visits will be needed to complete the task. For these reasons, we have have minimum charge of £145.00
Time is money, and with decking work, it is railings, balustrades and spindles which take the time. Far more than you might think.
The prices above are intended as a guide, however we will always quote a firm price before any work begins.
The price of good quality decking oil can vary greatly. Anything from £35 to £100 per 5L depending on the brand chosen. Coverage is around 7 to 10 per m2 per litre for the first coat, and about two thirds of this for the second. Please note that disposable items such a brushes, gloves and white spirit for cleaning down are included in our costings.
The best time for decking work is early spring, which is a very busy time for us. Best to book early.
Local exterior cleaning service for Ilkley, Otley, Harrogate, Wetherby, Leeds, Guiseley, Yeadon, Horsforth, Bradford, Shipley, Bingley, Keighley, Skipton, and much of Yorkshire and Lancashire.
