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How often should you oil a timber deck?

The water-drop test that tells you when.

How often should you oil a timber deck?

The rule of thumb

Every 9 to 12 months for a deck in full sun, and every 12 to 18 months for one under cover. Melbourne’s summer sun is what wears the oil off fastest.

The water-drop test

Sprinkle a little water on the boards. If it beads up, the oil is still doing its job. If it soaks in and darkens the timber within a minute, it’s time to re-oil.

Doing it yourself

Wash the deck with a deck cleaner and let it dry for two days. Apply a thin coat of oil along the length of two or three boards at a time, and wipe off any that hasn’t soaked in after 20 minutes — too much oil goes sticky.

Crew tip: every deck we build gets its first coat before hand-over, and we’ll book the second coat for you if you’d rather not do it.

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