SYDNEY DECK SEALING FAQ’s
How can we help?
Here Are Some Frequently Asked Questions And The Answers For You.
Yes you will need to remove all the furniture and any other items off the deck before we start. We are happy to help with larger item such as bbq’s or tables by prior arrangement but any toys, pot plants, nik naks, piles of leaves/debris etc. will need to be removed prior to us arriving. Keep in mind only one staff member will attend most jobs so we’re limited in what we can lift for you and we must also adhere to weight limits set out under the NSW Work Cover laws (20kg). If you’d like us to come back to help lift anything back onto the deck that’s fine too just let us know when we do the quote if you need this service. There is an hourly charge per staff member for any removals more than 15 minutes and a minimum call out fee for lifting furniture back onto a deck.
Possibly, every deck is different and it will depend on its current condition. Generally we have great success bringing even heavily worn or weathered decks back to life. Check out our Instagram page for some recent before and after shots of decks treated. Sometimes however an old deck might have existing marks or patches that are hard to remove and might need a full strip back to bare timber with a heavy sand. A heavy sand can also involve re-fastening any screws or nails are proud of the surface. We can do this for you but it’s more expensive to do a heavy sand than our standard treatment which only includes a light sand. Generally we can get a deck about to 80-90% of what a new deck looks like with our standard treatment if your deck is currently in reasonable condition.
Our standard treatment which is fine for four out of five decks includes a light sand and we will use a medium or fine grade sandpaper paper to help smooth the surface. A light sand will remove minor scratches or marks and allow for better adhesion of the new coats. It will not however remove deep black stains, underlying patchiness or big scratches and marks. Poor condition decks will possibly need a heavy sand or full strip back to bare timber.
If they are mostly flush with the surface this will be okay for our standard treatment but if we’re doing a heavy sand or full strip of the deck surfaces the nails or screw will need to be recessed. We are happy to include 10-15 minutes of this sort of work in every job for free but charge by the hour if a large amount of re-fastening is needed.
There are many different kinds of coating from water and oil based to solvent or two pack. Generally speaking water based coatings are the most popular and will last longer. An oil based sealer will generally need to be topped up sooner but can be easier to do.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Please ask one of our staff for further information and recommendations for suitable coatings
We are accredited/preferred applicators for Intergrain, Sikkens and Cutek products and have used all three for many years with excellent results. All of these three brands supply top tier products and each have outstanding reputations for looks and longevity. If you did have another sealer brand you want to use that’s okay too. We’re happy to use any brand you like. Talk to us for more information about this.
The full cure time for most products is 7 days but you can usually walk on the deck carefully in socks or barefoot after 24 hours. Furniture can go back on after 48 hours if needed but try and not move it around too much in the first week as in the case of a film forming coating the sealer might still be soft and could mark if items are dragged across the surface. Penetrating oils may take longer than 24-48 hours to dry if the weather is cold or wet or the timber is dense like new Merbau or a hardwood such as Spotted Gum or Tallowwood.
Dogs and cats generally don’t bother us during the preparation stage but when we’re ready to seal you’ll need to keep them away from the deck. It’s okay for pets to walk on the deck the next day but don’t encourage them to run or stop quickly as their claws can mark the deck whilst the coating is still fresh.
The edges of the boards will get some sealer near the top but completely sealing the edges of every board on a deck is almost impossible without lifting each board individually or a lot of time spent with smaller brushes getting into the gaps. We can do this but it’s not included in the treatments as standard and can take a fair amount of time that is billed at an hourly rate. Undersides can be sealed as well but will incur extra charges if you want this done. The rear sides of screens are not included unless specifically requested by you. If it’s not very visible or only a neighbour see’s it you will need to decide if it’s worth the extra cost.
Colours can vary depending on the type of timber, the sealer used and the tint chosen. A film forming style product will allow you to choose from a wide variety of tints that can change the appearance of the timber without much effort. If there’s a certain look you’re after show us some pictures and we’ll advise on the best way to achieve this for you. If you chose a colour from one of our charts we will be able to get it close but it might not match exactly to the printed chart. Penetrating oils will change the colour of the timber as well but not as much as a film forming sealer unless using the silver or charcoal tints. It will be similar to its natural look when wet but can be darker if the deck is old or heavily weathered. We can custom tint all of the products to any degree as needed to get your desired look but it might incur a small charge depending on how much effort is needed to get the colour right
Yes we will advise you and recommend a coating type and tint that best suit your needs. Tint choices can completely transform the look of a deck so chose carefully. Here are some general tips for tint choices:
- Light browns look good if you have dark walls or smaller or enclosed deck areas.
- Darker tints work well if you have lighter colour walls or have extreme sunlight (darker tints have more solids and last a little longer) but can increase the temperature of the decks surface in the case of the Charcoal tint for example. Darker tints will also hide imperfections better if the deck is old or weathered.
- Reddish tints look great and really shine near gardens or green areas.
- Silver or grey tints will reflect a fair bit of sunlight and can significantly reduce the surface temperature of the deck and surrounding area.
Whilst it might reduce the gloss on the surface a non-slip finish is recommended for areas prone to being wet whilst under use such as pool or spa decking, outdoor showers grates and entry steps decking. There is a small surcharge to do this if you’d like it done.
IMPORTANT NOTE: We accept no responsibility or liability if you choose not to have a non-slip finish applied in areas prone to being wet
Our prices are fair and yet very competitive at the same time. When comparing quotes check that the sealer quoted is a well know premium brand such as Intergrain and that they are doing the same amounts of coats and preparation work. Our quotes have a full description of the work to be performed as well as being fully itemised for individual areas so you are completely aware of the service we will provide you with. We’re happy to look at other quotes and compare but we advise you to stick with professional deck sealing businesses as we fix a lot of decks that builders, handymen, painters and even over enthusiastic husbands miss the mark on. Trust us, it’s not as easy as it looks and our staff are highly trained in this specific task and use specialist machinery to achieve outstanding results. Also keep in mind “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten”.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Don’t forget to check their licences, GST registration and insurance details are current as well
You can pay by direct transfer to our account, cash or card. Our terms are strictly payment upon completion unless a prior arrangement has been made and we reserve the right to charge compounding interest weekly for any outstanding amounts.
Yes we are. We have full public liability and workers compensation policies in place and can provide you certificates of currency upon request.
All work is done to industry standards and we’re accredited/ preferred applicator for Intergrain, Sikkens and Cutek products. The lifespan of the sealer will depend on the type of coating used. If it’s a film forming coating you’ll get anywhere from 1-4 years. If it’s a penetrating oil and it’s the first time it’s been applied to the deck or if the timber has dried out considerably since it was last coated it might need topping up in 6-9 months. Once a deck has had the penetrating oil treatment and it’s re-coated before drying out too much and has reached a decent saturation level in the timber you can expect it to last 1-3 years.
We hope that the information above has been helpful for you and if you have any questions not listed please contact us anytime. We take pride in our work and we’re positive you’ll like hundreds of other customers be very happy with the job we do for you.