Oiling a new Ipe deck…. or not to

We also oil all of our decks, timber paneling, bespoke trellis etc. after many discussions with various clients the conclusion is that everybody loves that freshly installed look of new timber that attracted them to the product in the first place. once properly prepared the oiled hardwood keeps the timber looking newer for longer, enhances the grain pattern and more importantly nourishes the timber which stops it from drying out & splitting. As we know un oiled hardwood will fade to a silver/grey colour with repeated sun & rain (in this country!) and this can open up the grain of the wood which can be prone to splitting especially near the end of a board near a fixing.

The correct oiling treatment of Owatrol D1 or D1 Pro will reduce the chances of this as it penetrates deeply into the pores of the timber. It is important to make sure that surplus oil is not left on the deck especially in summer as this can bake on and leave a shiny, patchy film on the surface which is undesirable. Oiling a large deck is quite a task and plenty of time & good weather should be allowed for. We apply a thick base coat which is allowed to soak in – the time for this varies between timber species and weather conditions. A second coat is then applied before the first coat dries. Once saturated the excess oil is wiped up with a clean lint free rag to leave a great looking deck and happy client who will hopefully highly recommend you !