5 TIPS FOR STAINING YOUR DECK

Staining your deck will help to protect it from the elements and ensure that it looks attractive for many years. However, if you have never stained a deck before you might be unsure of how to proceed. Here are five important pointers that you should keep in mind during the process.

CHOOSE THE RIGHT STAIN

There are so many different types of stains out there, so how do you choose the right one for your deck? Consider how transparent you want the stain to be, do you want it to be clear so that the texture and wood grain show through or do you want the stain to mask most of the wood grain? If you are looking for an effect that is somewhere in the middle, you can also find semi-transparent stains. Also, looking for a stain that is UV resistant and creates a suitable barrier against insects and mildew.

PERFORM A TEST FIRST

When you have chosen the stain for your deck, make sure that you test it on a piece of scrap timber or a non-visible area on the underside of the deck. This will allow you to see how much stain you need to use, how long it takes to dry and whether or not it reacts badly with the wood. If the test doesn’t work out well, you will not have ruined your entire deck.

PREPARATION IS CRUCIAL

Preparing your deck to be stained is essential for achieving the best results. The wood needs to be cleaned before you apply the stain, so that all of the grime, dust and mildew is removed. The best way to do this is with Intergrain Reviva which contains oxalic acid which is highly effective at cleaning the wood, but it will not be harmful for vegetation and plant life.

TAKE YOUR TIME AND APPLY IT RIGHT

When you are staining your deck there is no need to rush. Go through each step carefully and correctly, so that you can ensure that the finished product turns out right. If you rush the job and don’t allow the timber to weather before staining it, or don’t leave the stain stripper on the surface long enough to break down the old finishes before rinsing it off – you will create a haphazard and poor quality finish.

REAPPLY WHEN NECESSARY

A deck stain treatment will not last forever, so in a year or two you will need to reapply it. Inspect your deck every couple of months – if the coating stops repelling water it is time to give it another treatment.

Keep these important staining tips in mind so that you will get many years of enjoyment out of your deck.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JARRAH FOR DECKING

Known for its unique colour range, its strength and its durability, Jarrah is an excellent choice for exterior projects, such as decking. Also known as Swan River Mahogany and Eucalyptus marginata, Jarrah grows in the iron and aluminium-rich soils of the south-western corner of Western Australia.

Jarrah trees can grow up to 40m in height, with an extensive root system that seeks out water and nutrients deep underground. Jarrah does not germinate from seed, but from lignotubers – underground swellings that store nutrients, which allow young trees to regenerate after bushfires.

 APPEARANCE

Jarrah heartwood ranges in colour from a light red or brown, to a darker, richer red or brown. This colouring tends to darken when exposed to sunlight. The sapwood is usually a pale yellow, orange or pinkish colour.

Jarrah timber tends to have a moderately course and even textured grain. Its grain can be interlocked or wavy, which can create an interesting fiddle-back figure. Some boards can contain streaks or gum pockets as a naturally-occurring defect.

 DURABILITY

With a natural resistance to rot, termites and extreme weather conditions, Jarrah is a great choice for decking. Its high density also makes it relatively resistant to fire. We’ve found that if using wider decking boards for Jarrah, it’s best to do so when your deck is covered as there can be some movement with extreme weather.

 WORKABILITY

Due to its high density and interlocked grain, Jarrah can be difficult to machine. It’s easiest to work with when green, although it can be worked with when seasoned if you are using sufficiently sharp tools (bear in mind it may blunt cutting edges).

Jarrah can be machined or turned. Jarrah timber also accepts oil, stain and polish well.

 COMMON USES

Its strength and durability make Jarrah a common choice for heavy engineering projects, as well as structure and infrastructure applications. This includes wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers, cross arms, poles and piles.

Jarrah is also a popular choice for construction, and is used in general house framing, decking, flooring, linings, joinery and fencing. Due to its striking colouring and attractive grain, it is often used to create turned objects, cabinets, parquetry and outdoor furniture.

 WHY USE JARRAH IN YOUR DECKING PROJECT

Available in a range of beautiful reds and browns, Jarrah is a timber that becomes even more appealing as it ages, as it is exposed to sunlight and its colouring deepens to a richer hue. Choose Jarrah for your decking project if you’re looking for an attractive dark coloured decking board with more natural character than other darker decking timbers such as Merbau.

Not only does it look good, Jarrah is also strong and exceptionally durable. It can withstand extreme weather conditions, and is resistant to rot, fungi and insects, such as termites. Due to its density, it is also resistant to fire, which can be beneficial in bushfire prone areas.

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What’s in a Deck

Before we touch on the decking species that are available, it makes sense to briefly cover exactly what is required to build a deck for the uninitiated. Most timber decks are supported by strategically placed posts which are bolted to post shoes or stirrups above the ground. 

This ensures that the posts won’t decay and destabilise the deck. Attached to the top of the posts are bearers, which run parallel to each other along the deck. The bearers are usually the largest timbers in the deck and serve to stabilise and underpin the structure. Joists then run across the bearers and sit on top of them, normally at right angles to the bearers. Finally the decking boards are fixed to the top of the joists and run across the joists and in the same direction as the bearers. 

The calculation of the sizes of bearers and joists is a complicated process involving sophisticated engineering and many variables. For an overview please visit this decking blog post.

This simple decking structure can be amended in many ways to create elaborate decks that are suspended from the side of a home, have multiple levels or unusual shapes.

Softwoods Decks

The substructure of Softwoods decks is usually Treated Pine. We find that H3 Kiln Dried treated pine provides little to no movement, is resistant of rot and insect attack, and is also the most economical option. Our posts sit on hot dipped galvanised steel posts shoes (or stirrups) and we use galvanised bolts to further ensure no rusting will affect your structure. Bearers are bolted to posts and joists are secured to bearers using trip-l-grip or uni-tie brackets and galvanised nails. All of these measures have been developed over the years to ensure that a Softwoods deck is built to last.

Types of Decking

The primary variable aside from size and shape of decks is the type of decking board that you use. Decking comes in many different species, offering variable strength, size and flexibility, as well as colour, grain and density. With these variables come different prices and performance. Softwoods provide a large range of decking options to ensure that we can provide you with what you want in a deck at a price that suits you.
Below is a brief description of the varieties of decking we specialise in, as well as some information about each. Each variety has ratings for Density, Toughness, Durability and Colour taken from a paper by the National Association of Forest Industries. The ratings are explained below:

• Density Rating for seasoned timber is a measure of mass in kilograms per cubic metre. Density rating is a great indicator of the strength of the timber and serves as a good comparison between species. The higher the mass, the more dense the timber is.
  Toughness Rating is a measure of impact resistance or strength of the timber, measured in Newton metres but simplified to Low(up to 15) Medium (15 to 25) and High (25 and over)
• Durability Class consists of four classes based on tests carried out on untreated heartwood. A score of 1 indicates high durability with the expectation of resistance to decay for over 40 years. Class 2 offers high durability with an expectancy of 15 to 40 years decay resistance. Class 3 is moderate durability with 7 to 15 years resistance and Class 4 is low durability with 1 to 7 years expected resistance. Please note also that the timbers tested are untreated and undried, as well as unpainted or stained. Once treated and stained timber can be expected to last for much longer than anticipated here, but these scores show well the variability and qualites of the differing species.
• Colour is coded as below and gives an indication of the unstained natural colour of the timber.
• W- White, Yellow, Pale Straw, Light Brown
• P- Pink to Pink Brown
• R- Light to Dark Red
• B- Brown, Chocolate, Mottled or Streaky

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