SYDNEY DECK SEALING FAQ’s

Possibly, every deck is different. We have a fantastic track record in bringing even heavily weathered timber decks back to life with our Sydney deck restoration and deck sealing services. For most reasonably conditioned decks our standard treatment (light sand, clean & sealing) brings a deck to about 80–90% of its original look.
If your deck is rough, has deep stains or extensive weathering, a heavy sand or full strip back to bare timber may be required for a truly almost brand new finish.

Sydney deck cleaning and restoration packages includes options such as a light sand (medium / fine grit) to remove minor scratches, smooth the surface, and improve adhesion for sealers or oils. However, a light sand will not remove deep black stains, underlying patchiness, or large gouges in timber surfaces.
A heavy sand or full strip back is more suitable for decks with deep stains or heavy wear.

If your fasteners are mostly flush with the surface or only ever so slightly proud we can proceed with the deck treatment. For heavy sanding or a full strip back, any overly protruding screws or nails should be recessed. We include a short allowance (≈10–15 minutes) of re-fastening work per job for free but any additional re-fastening is charged on an hourly rate.

There are many coating options — water-based, oil-based, solvent or two-pack systems. Generally, water-based coatings tend to be popular for long life and low VOCs; penetrating oils are easier to re-apply if you’re going to maintain it yourself going forward but usually need topping up sooner.
Ask our team for tailored advice about deck coating choices, we’ll recommend the best product for your timber, budget, and desired look.

We’re happy to use any brand you want but do recommend sticking with premium brands like Intergrain, Feast Watson, Cutek or Sikkens. We’ve used these brands with excellent results over many years. These are premium products that perform well when combined with correct preparation. If you prefer another brand, we’re happy to apply it too for you, just tell us which ones you like when we’re preparing your quote.

Full cure time for most sealers is about 1 day for light foot traffic and up to 7 days for furniture but will vary depending on local conditions.

Typical guidance:

• Water based sealers are okay to walk on carefully (barefoot, socks or soft soled shoes) after 24 hours.
• Some penetrating oils such as Cutek can take longer to fully dry, especially on dense hardwoods (e.g., Spotted Gum or Tallowwood) or in cool/wet weather.
• You can put furniture back after 5-7 days but avoid dragging items on the surface for the next week where possible.

We’ll need to keep pets off the deck while we’re preparing the surfaces or applying coatings but pets may walk on the deck the next day. Avoid encouraging running or sudden stops in the case of dogs until the coating has fully cured, as claws can mark a fresh finish.

The edges of the boards will get some sealer near the top but completely sealing the edges of every board on a deck or screen 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 water based 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. Upon request we can custom tint all of the products to any degree needed. Ask us about options for this.

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.

We recommend a non-slip finish for pool decks, outdoor showers, entry steps and other wet areas — it reduces gloss and adds safety. There is a small surcharge for non-slip products.

Important: We accept no responsibility or liability if you choose not to have a non-slip finish in wet or high-risk areas.

When comparing quotes, check the product brand, the number of coats, and the level of surface preparation is the same. Our quotes are fully itemised and include detailed descriptions of the work to be performed. We’re happy to look at and compare quotes to give you the best price possible but we encourage choosing a professional deck sealing business as poor preparation or incorrect product application are common reasons for an unsatisfactory job.

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 to do 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”.

Tip: Always verify qualifications, licences, GST registration and insurance details before hiring.

There are a lot of variables, so it’s hard to give an exact timeframe, but as a guide most decks need a top-up treatment every 12–18 months when using an oil-based sealer, or 2–4 years with high-quality water-based deck sealers. High-traffic areas such as stairs, entrances, or north-facing decks exposed to strong sun may need attention a little sooner. If your deck starts looking dry, patchy, or loses its water-beading effect, it’s a sign it’s ready for another coat. Regular deck maintenance keeps the timber looking great while protecting it from splitting, cupping, rotting and premature ageing. Keeping to a consistent maintenance schedule will maximise the life and appearance of your deck.

To make sure we can work safely and efficiently, it really helps if we have a parking spot close to the treatment area. If possible, please reserve a space in your driveway, carpark, or directly in front of the property.
We truly appreciate your help—having easy access to our tools and equipment makes a big difference for our team.

Timber is a natural material, and occasionally its grain can lift slightly after a deep clean or heavy sand, creating a soft, velvet-like texture in some areas.
This happens when moisture draws the grain upward. We can usually address this with a quick secondary sand before sealing, but sometimes it only becomes visible once the second or third coat of sealer is applied. If extra sanding between coats is needed to achieve a perfectly smooth finish, our technician will let you know onsite.
There may be a small additional cost (usually under $100), and we’ll only proceed if you’re happy to.

Our team always prefers to cut in neatly with brushes, but sometimes masking is needed to protect nearby surfaces. We use a high-quality blue exterior tape with medium tack.

If the surface being masked is older, weathered, or the original paint hasn’t bonded well, the tape may pull off small flakes of paint when removed. This is outside our control as it relates to the condition of the existing coating.

If this happens and you have touch-up paint available or can get some, we’re happy to apply a quick touch up on those spots for you at no charge.

Some timber species naturally release brown tannins during weathering or cleaning. These tannins can occasionally mark light-coloured walls or stone nearby.

We’ll always do our best to minimise this risk, but we can’t take responsibility for staining or repainting as tannin release is a natural characteristic of certain timbers.
For example, Merbau has a high tannin content, while Spotted Gum typically has much lower tannins.

During preparation, nearby glass surfaces like pool fencing or sliding doors may pick up a little dust or spray. We’ll hose and wipe the glass to remove loose dirt, but we don’t provide glass polishing as part of the service.

Some older painted and even new powder-coated surfaces—particularly darker colours like Monument, Ironstone, or Wallaby—can be sensitive to cleaning products and may experience mild discoloration.
While we take care to avoid this where possible, we’re unable to take responsibility for repainting affected areas such as walls, joists, or bearers.

Stair components can be confusing, so here’s a simple breakdown:

• Treads – the flat steps you stand on
• Risers – the vertical pieces between each tread
• Stringers – the diagonal structural timbers supporting the stairs
  
  

Each of these areas requires a very different level of labour.

Treads are straightforward and allow easy access for machinery.

Risers, being vertical, require more controlled pressure and take additional time.
Stringers require the most care, as they are long structural components with multiple edges that need to be cut in carefully by hand to achieve a neat and consistent finish.

Because of these differences, pricing for stairs can vary depending on exactly which components you need us to restore.

Joists and bearers are the structural timbers beneath your deck boards. When cleaning or sealing your deck, it’s normal that some cleaner or sealer may drip between the board gaps onto these components.

We always work carefully to minimise this; however, it’s not realistically possible to prevent all drips unless someone is positioned underneath continuously wiping the timbers, which isn’t part of our standard service.

If these areas are visible and you require them to remain completely spotless, we can offer additional protective measures, repainting or cleaning — but this must be requested and approved beforehand and will incur extra costs.

If we notice existing damage such as old sealer marks on walls or tiles, or damaged gyprock we’ll do our best to document it or let you know before beginning work. This helps avoid any confusion later.

We accept direct transfer or card. Payment is due on completion unless prior arrangements are made. Unpaid balances may incur compounding weekly interest if not settled.

Yes, we have public liability and workers compensation insurance. Certificates of currency are sent with every quote.

All work is completed to industry standards. Life expectancy varies by product: film-forming coatings typically last 1–4 years, while penetrating oils may need topping up after 6–9 months on a first application to a very dry deck. With regular maintenance and timely re-coats, penetrating oil systems can settle in and last 1–3 years between top ups.