Case Studies are one of our favourite things to write about here on the Owatrol Direct blog.
We think there is no better way to show off the possibilities when using Owatrol products than to show you things that people have done already!
This week we’re demonstrating one of our lesser-known products called D1 Pro alongside one of our old favourites, Net-Trol.
For those more familiar with our stable product partnership Net-Trol and Textrol, you’ll be pleased to hear that the preparation of the deck and the Net-Trol application is exactly the same for use with D1 Pro as it is for use with Textrol.
You can see from this photograph that Thomas has cleaned the decking first using Net-Trol to remove built-up dirt and grime and to restore the natural colour of the wood.
Cleaning and preparing an IPE Deck for Finishing
Before using Net-Trol you need to ensure that your surface is cleared of debris – a good sweep should suffice.
The surface then needs to be made wet and Net-Trol should then be scrubbed into the surface. We recommend using a stiff brush, then leave it to stand for approximately 20 minutes.
Then it should be rinsed whilst scrubbing ,again with a stiff brush. Try to use the highest pressure water source you can (a pressure washer is ideal but a hose will suffice).
Your surface then needs to be left for at least 48 hours to dry completely before applying your finish.
Why use Owatrol’s D1 Pro?
In this case, Thomas and his clients have chosen to finish their IPE deck with Owatrol’s D1 Pro, a product from our Professional Range which is a saturating wood oil for hardwoods giving a long-lasting natural finish and advanced UV protection.
This product is well-suited for use in heavy-traffic areas such as decking and areas exposed to harsh weather. This is because it has a long-lasting finish that will protect in the years to come with minimal maintenance.
It’s also perfect for dense, oily or greasy woods which are difficult to impregnate with saturating products. D1 Pro delivers excellent wood penetration and can protect even these more difficult woods from within.
As such it was perfect for this project as it is made from IPE Decking which is an extremely hard wood decking (approximately 3 times harder than oak!).
Many high street products would not have been able to provide adequate saturation in a wood as hard as this and therefore would not provide the long-lasting protection offered by D1 Pro.
Finishing a deck with D1 Pro
Owatrol’s D1 Pro is a saturating wood oil protection. This means that its place is inside the wood not on top of it.
To apply a saturating oil you need to apply ‘wet on wet’ coats. This means that the surface cannot be allowed to dry in between coats. If this was to happen then the D1 Pro that had been absorbed so far would start working and prevent any further moisture from penetrating the wood!
This sounds a little scary but it really isn’t.
The key is to work on small sections at a time (an area which can be completed in around 15 minutes). You need to apply the first coat and allow it to be absorbed for around 15-20 minutes but do not allow it to become surface dry.
You then continue to apply coats until no more oil can be absorbed and the wood is saturated. At this point be sure to brush away any excess D1 Pro sitting on the surface to prevent shiny patches.
Be sure to work along the length of your decking boards and always work an entire board at once. Never stop mid-board to prevent uneven coverage.
Once this is completed you will have a deck protected for the long-haul with minimal maintenance required.
Regular washing with Net-Trol is optional but will help to maintain the look of your deck. The look of the deck will gradually lighten over time; when it returns to a grey colour it is time for a maintenance coat. You apply it in exactly the same way but usually only 1-2 coats is necessary.
You can also apply a maintenance coat in just a small localised area if that’s all that is necessary. No sanding or stripping required!
The finished results
As you can see the results are stunning! Thomas’ clients can be safe in the knowledge that their deck is protected for years to come from damage caused by UV rays and moisture.
On top of this, they know that they will need to do minimal maintenance. If the deck begins to look worn in high traffic areas, they’re able to carry out touch-ups easily.
We hope you found this post on decking transformation with D1 Pro interesting.
If you have any other advice or top tips, please feel free to leave them in the comments below. We love hearing from you!
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About Owatrol Team
Our team are ready and willing to support you with your requirements whether it is protecting your newly laid deck or renovating a luxury yacht, whatever the application Owatrol has the solution you are looking for.
can i use owatrol decking paint over an oil based decking stain
thank you
Paul
Hi Paul,
Can Owatrol Decking Paint be applied over an oil based decking stain? The short answer is yes. However as we do not know the adhesion qualities or the current strength of adhesion of the oil based deck stain we are unable to guarantee that there will not be any peeling or flaking. This is not because of the lack of adhesion between the Owatrol Decking Paint and current decking stain, which we know will be good, but rather the quality of adhesion between the existing oil based decking stain and the surface it has been applied to. If the oil based decking stain is weakly adhered to the substrate then Owatrol Decking Paint will not improve its adhesion since it cannot penetrate through the existing film.
To minimise the potential for any peeling and flaking it is important that the existing surface is properly prepared and this should consist of the following:
1 – Any loose or weakly adhered current finish should be removed back to a sound surface
2 – The existing surface should be properly and thoroughly cleaned ideally with undiluted Net-trol
3 – After cleaning the deck should be given a minimum of 2-3 days to dry before applying the Owatrol Decking Paint
It is also important that the existing oil based deck paint is thoroughly dry, that is to say if it is newly applied then it should be given a week before applying the Owatrol Decking Paint. The older the existing decking stain is the better.
Any further questions please get in touch.
Many thanks,
The Owatrol Team
I recently had my decking and the railings around it professionally power washed and the company then used sprayed it with decking oil. The result is awful, it’s patchy all over and flaky in places. Could you please advise me on how I can restore the area with your products?
Hi Janice,
The good news is you can definitely fix your problems with your decking using Owatrol solutions. Unfortunately the bad news is that the first job is going to be to remove the decking oil applied by the company you used. We would recommend doing this with either Prepdeck or if suitable, Aquanett (this is specifically for removing wood oils). Once you have removed the oil you need to clean and neutralise the wood with Net-Trol to make it ready for a new finish.
As far as a finish goes it really depends on what look you’re after:
If you have any further questions please do get in touch!
Many Thanks,
The Owatrol Team
I have had an ipe deck laid at the latter end of last year and wish to treat it. What is the best coating, and would i need to pre-treat it with Prepdeck and Net Trol before adding top coat.
Hi Frederick,
Firstly yes, as the wood is pretty new, we would recommend treating with Prepdeck following the instructions for removing mill glaze (see our guide to removing mill glaze here for help with this) and then neutralising with Net-Trol. This is irrespective of which finish you would then choose – it will make sure the wood’s pores are open enough for accepting a finish.
In terms of which coating to use, this does depend on the look you’re after. If you want a clear finish we would recommend D1 Pro as in this case study – it’s perfect for particularly dense wood species like ipe. If you’re looking for a coloured penetrating oil to colour the wood but leave the grain showing or an opaque coloured finish instead then let us know and we can advise you of the best route to take.
Hope this helps,
The Owatrol Team
Hi there,
We have just had a new ipe deck and screen installed and are concerned with how it will look in the future. Your products were recommended to us. It has already started to fade and we are keen to restore it back to its original colour and protect it. Which products would you suggest. Text rol or pro d1. Textrol was recommended but having read reviews I think the pro d1 transparent may be better for ipe. Also, how long after installation can this be done.
Many thanks
Paula
Hi Paula,
Firstly, apologies for the delay in response – your message was for some reason caught in our spam filter. If your deck is new then we would recommend leaving it for 6-12 months before applying a finish. This to allow any mill glaze to have gone and the pores to open up. You could apply Seasonite new wood protection to regulate the moisture transfer during this period to avoid warping and splitting but if you’re already coming up to the time when you can apply a finish then you needn’t do this.
Once your deck has been weathered for 6-12 months you should then clean it and restore its natural colour using Net-Trol. We would then recommend using D1 Pro in Honey tint which is applied ‘wet-on-wet’ until the wood is saturated – its place is inside the wood not on top.
If you need any further help please do get in touch.
The Owatrol Team
Hello I put a coat of seasonite down a couple of months back on new Balou hardwood decking outside, but it seems to be drying and fading fast. I’m worried about cupping and twisting. I’m looking for some advice on what to do. My intention was to leave the seasonite for a year then apply netrol and D1 pro. I am now thinking doing this soon as?
Hi Mark,
I have passed your enquiry onto our technical guys and will have a response for you as soon as possible.
Thanks,
The Owatrol Team
Hi again Mark,
The fading of your wood is just the natural reaction to exposure to the sun and just surface layer timber fibres that are burning and will be easily rectified by cleaning and restoring the colour with Net-trol before you apply a finish. Seasonite can support against this but not always as it depends on many factors with your wood and its environment. Seasonite’s main purpose is to protect against the damage cause by water ingress which it should be fulfilling fine. It penetrates rapidly and does not alter the appearance of the wood so I can understand why you could be concerned, but this should not be an issue. If you are not happy to leave the wood then you could move to applying D1 Pro now if you wish, however you would need to treat your wood for mill glaze first to allow a finish to penetrate. You can get some advice on doing this in our guide on how to remove mill glaze.
If you require any further assistance then please do get in touch.
Thanks,
The Owatrol Team
Hi,
I am looking for a good paint or oil for Hardwood garden chairs and a table what would be the best for this to give a really good lasting finish, i have a wood backing on to my property and lots of foliage and leaves tree ‘stuff’ around.
Hi Scott,
The products we would recommend would depend on the finish you’re after. If you’re looking for an oil we would recommend Teak Olje, it’s perfect for hardwood garden furniture. If, however, you’re looking for a semi-opaque finish we’d more than likely recommend Tropitechor for an opaque paint we’d suggest Solid Colour Stain. If you could give us a little more information about your chairs, what they have been treated with before and the finish you’re after then we will happily advise you further.
Many thanks,
The Owatrol Team
Hi
I am installing a deck with beautiful new red cedar wooden deck boards and have a couple of questions.
I am considering using D1 Pro (Honey) or a Clear Textrol HES oil, but may like a gloss finish. Can I use Deks Olje D2 over either of these products or must it only be used over Deks Olje D1? Does Deks Olje D1 have UV any protections?
Can I remove the mill glaze on my wood via sanding as an alternative to prepdeck?
Thanks a million
Tony
Hi there Tony,
We would not recommend using Deks Olje D2 on a deck or any other surface that you would walk on. This is because Deks Olje D2 has a very high gloss finish and will become slippery when wet making it difficult/dangerous to walk on.
Yes, Deks Olje D1 does provide protection against damage from UV rays as well as humidity and its effects.
Yes, you could alternatively sand the wood to remove the mill glaze.
Please feel free to contact us again should you have any further queries.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team