# Decking Oil or Stain



## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Hi All,

What is best to use on the new decking I'm putting down next week? I want to make use of a Wickes voucher this weekend.

Do I go for a stain or an oil?

Does the oil provide a barrier like a stain does? Been reading stuff about unsealed pressure treated wood and the nasty stuff in it which can seep out when wet etc.

Is oil effective? 

What is the maintenance like Oil vs Stain? How often would I need to renew ideally?


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## Andyg_TSi (Sep 6, 2013)

Tidied mine up recently using stain. I just give it a clean once a year & then if i feel it needs it, top up the stain

http://www.detailingworld.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=392820


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## kev999 (Feb 16, 2007)

Liberon decking oil.


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## Del-GTi (Mar 31, 2007)

I always used oil as I think it gives a nicer, more natural finish. However, I didn't find that it lasted very long.


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## wayne451 (Aug 15, 2016)

If you're bothered about maintenance why not go for composite deck boards?

My old man maintains everything to a meticulous standard but after his decking had been in about 7/8 years (his entire rear garden is decked, in some places almost 1m above ground so didn't need planning permission) he still got localised rot so ripped it all off and replaced it with composite boards.

The old ones were cut to size and went on a log burner. Not ideal with the stuff painted on them but sod it, it's heating and it'd go to waste otherwise.


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## kingswood (Jun 23, 2016)

I'd always go oil. Stain can lift in the wet and once down is a pig to remove and do with oil. 

Oils about twice the price for a reason! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## slimjim (Mar 22, 2007)

What about Cuprinol non slip , it actually works but you can only really use on new deckings, if it's been oiled previously it would just lift .



Even add a colour , not to everyone's taste but we thought it was a bit different.


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## nbray67 (Mar 22, 2012)

I went with Liberon decking oil but I'm not sure if Wickes do Liberon.

I bought in 2014 when Screwfix had it on a special offer.

This is clear on new decking that I put down back in 2014. 
It's still looking 'ok' but I really need to apply a decking cleaner and then redo the Liberon again. My bad for not treating it yearly.

I see that it's now sprayable but I applied with a brush.


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## ollienoclue (Jan 30, 2017)

Two different products. Stain is for when the stuff is faded and looking a bit 'naff'. Oiled regularly and properly (it is hideously expensive) you should not need a stain.

Obviously not all timber decking is created equal. The cheaper stuff doesn't seem to want to 'play' with oil nicely whereas the expensive stuff seems to keep tip top with it.

As I have said before if laying new decking do not lay the board so that they touch, leave an air gap between each board. I don't mean 1 inch, I mean less than 10mm. The boards live longer that way as the wet can drain away and air can circulate.

In a previous life my significant other at the time insisted on putting a whole manner of bric a brac on the decking, plant pots, garden furniture, fire pit etc etc etc and it was left there for long periods. The net result was that it ended up stained. Wooden furniture and nothing else, and take it off before the winter comes.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Appreciate all the answers guys.

Does the fact that these boards are pressure treated make any difference to whether oil or stain would be better?

Turning up tomorrow and I will get something to protect it straight away. (I have bought a cedar stain but I will take it back or use elsewhere if Oil will be better).

I am leaning to Oil now though. Should I use the Oil on the cut ends too? or would a clear stain protect better?


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## Jcwminiadventures (Dec 3, 2011)

Wickes use to use to do there own clear decking protector for around £30 that's done us for most years for last 5-6yrs & just got last batches end of last year. Didn't add any colour but protected obviously. Just tried oil for first time recently on our new decking that's round our hot tub from b&q & that was meant to be clear but cause it was an oil it's made the new slightly darker & the old a lot darker so rest looks odd as didn't do the whole lot as it was only done beg of year. I need to finish rest now to match. The oil certainly seems to have stood up better to areas round the hot tub than the other stuff does.

I was told I didn't need to do ours straight away & prob would have left it longer if it wasn't round the hot tub getting wet.

I've never done our ends & had no issues & we live in a very harsh seaside environment


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## nogrille (Oct 27, 2005)

Liberon oil is all I've ever used and it looks great of you keep on top of it every year. Buy more than you'll need and do it three times in close succession.


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## Starbuck88 (Nov 12, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies. Really does help.

I've bought some Cedar Coloured Oil, I like the idea of it actually feeding the wood and providing protection and that you can just top it up rather than have stuff flake and be a job to get looking really good again.

Delivery came yesterday, made a little start last night. as it's a reasonably small deck I'm just going to put it on blocks to keep it off the floor.

This is just me laying out bits and pieces and seeing how far out it's going to come etc.









Ordered the exact amount I wanted and got a couple of didgy boards to they're coming later in the week to replace.

This is the worst one.


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