In all cases, we’d recommend trying a sample to test for the touch time before embarking on the whole job. This means working out how long it is going to take for the coatings to lift.
Stripping wood oils from decking
If your wood is coated with wood oils, whether that be teak oil, linseed oil or another type of wood oil we’d first and foremost recommend you strip them using Aquanett. It’s designed specifically for removing wood oils and it’s a gel formula so it’s easy to use.
To use Aquanett to strip wood oils from your deck you simply apply it, leave it to work for up to 5 minutes (maximum) and then scrub the surface whilst rinsing with the highest pressure water source you have available. After using Aquanett you need to neutralise the wood with Net-Trol to prevent the stripper from remaining active in the wood.
You can also use Prepdeck for removing some wood oils from decking, it can be left to work for longer and it is a liquid rather than a gel but otherwise is applied in largely the same way. Aquanett does perform better on oils like teak and linseed. We would recommend it over Prepdeck in those cases. You also need to neutralise the wood after using Prepdeck too.
Stripping paint and opaque finishes from decking
If you’ve got a decking paint or an opaque finish to remove then we’d recommend Dilunett. Its a gel formulation so it won’t run and it can remove up to 8 coats of paint in a single application – it also doesn’t dry so you can leave it on for up to 12 hours for particularly stubborn coatings. You apply the Dilunett, leave it to work and then rinse whilst scrubbing in the direction of the grain. Again you will need to neutralise the wood with Net-Trol after use.
Before applying Dilunett to the entire area, carry out a test to see how long the ‘touch time’ will be. This means applying the Dilunett to a small area and waiting for a short while for it to work. Give a little scrub at the edge to see if the coatings are lifting. If not then leave for a while longer and try again. Continuing in this way until the coating is lifting will give you the ‘touch time’. This will help to determine how long to leave the Dilunett to work. Always work in manageable areas which can be completed within your touch time.
You could also use Prepdeck for this but Dilunett performs better on paints.
Help – I don’t know what coating is on my deck!
If you’re not sure what you’re trying to strip – we know it’s not really at the top of your mind to ask what decking coating was used when you’re exchanging the keys for your new house – then don’t worry. 
For decking, our first recommendation would be to purchase a sample of Dilunett and try it out on a small area to see if it will lift the coating. As Dilunett will lift paints with ease but will also lift oils, it’s a good place to start.
If you find that even after leaving the Dilunett for its full working time of 12 hours your coatings are still not lifting then we would suggest trying a sample of DSP 800. It’s a more powerful stripper which can even remove 2-pack paints but you don’t rinse it with water you have to use a scraper or scrubbing brush so for decking it’s a last resort really because the removal will be more onerous.
We hope you found this post on Owatrol Wood Stripping Guide: Stripping Your Decking 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.
Hi – the stain on my decking isn’t flakey particularly but tired and uneven in colour ( where some staining has come off) I have cleaned and stained it every year or two since it was laid about 8 years ago. I would like to rejuvenate it but not sure how necessary it is to strip it completely( thinking about the effort involved being retired and on my own) it seems to quickly lose its lustre after applying stain . I have used liberon decking oil in the past.
It’s in a sunny position and I can use a pressure washer if necessary. I would be grateful of any advice – many thanks Cilla Doyle
Hi Cilla,
Thank you for your query.
To get the best and longest lasting finish on your deck, we recommend you strip the previous coating off completely and re-apply a penetrating finish such as Owatrol.
Owatrol finishes are penetrating products which means that they do not leave a film on the surface of the wood, but instead penetrate deep down into the wood protecting it from the inside out.
This will allow a better finish for longer.
Some other products on the market will simply sit on the surface of the wood which will quickly flake and peel, or loose it colour and lustre, leaving you to have to start all over again within a year.
Because of the nature of Owatrol products, you will not need to strip the coating off year after year, but instead you will simply need to give the wood a clean and then give it a few touch ups in the effected areas – perhaps only once a year.
If you live in Surrey, London and surrounding counties, then we can recommend a company that uses Owatrol products to strip, clean and finish wooden surfaces named R&A Pressure washing services: https://www.pressurewashingcleaning.co.uk
I hope this answer was helpful, please do not hesitate to contact us further should you require any more assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
Hi, what product is best for removing ronseal rescue paint?
Leroy
Hi Leroy,
Thank you for your query.
Ronseal Rescue is a water-based paint, so as long as there are no other previous finishes below the Ronseal Rescue, then it could be removed with Prepdeck – a high grade stripper especially designed for removal of old stains, paint, mill glaze and other finishes.
You can learn more about Prepdeck here – https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/prepdeck/
If, however, there are other types of finishes below this, such as an oil based finish, you would need to use Dilunett – a paint stripper that will remove any oil and alkyd based paint, varnish or woodstain. It’s powerful formula strips up to 8 coats of finish in just one application.
You can learn more about Dilunett here – https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/dilunett-gel/
Please also be sure to read the full Technical Information Sheets which can be found on each product page. This will inform you of any types of wood restrictions, after care etc.
If you require any further assistance on this matter, please feel free to contact us at: sales@owatroluk.com or 01582 592707
I hope this answer was helpful.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
My Ronseal decking paint has gone flaky or disappeared entirely, leaving patches of dark stain…
Which is the best product to use?
Hi Julie,
For this type of removal we would recommend using Dilunett solvent free paint remover – https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/dilunett-gel/
We have sample sizes available and would recommend purchasing one and performing a test on the deck first.
I hope this was helpful – please feel free to contact us again should you require further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
I currently have Cuprinol ultimate teak stain on my decking and would like to change to a grey oil , what should I do please.
Hi there Richard,
If the previous product was an oil then you would need to use a product such as Aquanett: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/aquanett/ to remove it. For other types of stains, paints and varnish we would recommend a product such as Dilunett: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/dilunett-gel/
We have 100ml samples available for £6 with free delivery should you wish to try.
Please feel free to give us a call on 01582 592707 for any further assistance.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team
My deck is 10 years old and we want to clean it. It’s been previously varnished and has a build up.. Deck looking sad.. what could you recommend. Many thanks
Hey there Roberta,
Depending on what is currently on it, the type of wood it is, the age etc. will depend on what you should use.
For the removal of varnish we would recommend using DSP 800: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/product/dsp-800-multi-purpose-stripper/
Once the varnish has been removed you could use one of our wood oil finishes of paints: https://www.owatroldirect.co.uk/woodcare/decking/
We sell 100ml samples of all our products for £6 with free delivery should you wish to test them out.
Please feel free to give us a call on: 01582 592707 or send us an email to: sales@owatroluk.com should you have any specific questions and our technical team will be able to advice you.
All the best,
The Owatrol Team