# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Decking Oil - Applicator options and result advantages?

## bluemetal77

Hello o'great forum people .. 
Just finished doing my Merbau deck (4.2 x 4.8) and am washing/weathering it for a bit for the tannins to leach out .. 
Just investigating into decking oil options and am quite sold on Feast & Watson Merbau .. the real question is about the application .. which applicator to use? .. I have the following options that need to be commented on: 
1. Lambswool applicator (by Cabots / Feast & Watson) - $15 Cabot's Decking Applicator - Bunnings Warehouse
2. Deckmate applicator with container $30 How To Oil Your Deck - YouTube and Wagner Deck mate - Bunnings Warehouse
3. All-in-one kit with an applicator from Bunnies .. says its sheepskin.. $30 ROLLER KIT UNI PRO DECKING KIT - Bunnings Warehouse 
The gap in my merbau decking is 3mm to 4mm as it varies where i've tried to keep the decking square .. just wondering which applicator will give me an easy job at hand (it'll be my 1st time) and which will help me get the oil in the gaps/grooves .. the deck is held by ss screws countersunk by the smartbit ..  
Also what problems does keeping the oil in the tray present .. does it settle down and lose its stain like it does in a can or is it good for say 10 boards then you pour more ..? 
Any help/experience is appreciated .. thank you!

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## stevoh741

I only use cutek with my decks but I find the lambswool applicators catch on any irregularity/splinters and leaves white tuffs all over the deck. I always apply with a 100mm brush. Rollers coat too thin for my liking as well.

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## r3nov8or

You need a brush to cut in the edges (near walls etc), and I use a brush all over especially for the first time it's coated (even on 7.2 x 3.6) to ensure the edges get a good dosing. But the Wagner does the edges too by the looks. I did use a lambswool applicator for a recent recoat, and there were a few tufts caught on 'rough' bits but nothing to worry about (no more than the dog!). Was quick and easy. I used oil-based so I chucked the applicator when I was finished as a replacement is $10. The brushes I use are very cheap, and also disposed of rather than a messy turps wash up (turps isn't as cheap as it used to be). All methods work, but rolling needs to be back-brushed to ensure good coverage and adhesion - brushing or wiping are best for decks IMHO. I've used Feast Watson, but not the new formula. I will use Cutek CD50 on my next. I'm especially taken by the peneration and very easy preparation for recoats.

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## bluemetal77

> I only use cutek with my decks but I find the lambswool applicators catch on any irregularity/splinters and leaves white tuffs all over the deck. I always apply with a 100mm brush. Rollers coat too thin for my liking as well.

  I will sand off the screw areas as the smartbit did leave some splinters on quite a few screw holes .. so hopefully that wont be a prob when using a pad/applicator .. looking at some Youtube videos, some lambswool pads go in the grooves as well or you can tilt n coat it and wipe off excess .. i might try that depending on what i get .. 
Brush is a bit too much work for me .. i dont have a good back .. decking decked me already!

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## bluemetal77

Cutek is available from .. where in Sydney? I haven't seen it anywhere and not in the internet either except for eBay .. its also expensive by a good $50-80 on the 10l can as compared to other oils .. im sure the 4l will be obnoxiously dearer .. 
So what's the deal with F&W new formula .. its not as good or have they gone water based? I dont want water/acrylic finishes .. happy to recoat sooner than to sand it for the recoat each time!

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## r3nov8or

Ring the guys from Chemisys for retail locations. Cutek CD50<sup>®</sup> Wood Preservative Index 
I did the same yesterday. Very helpful. In Geelong 4L is averages $110, and tint is about $13. If this stuff doesn't extend time between recoats and make recoats super easy I'll eat my hat.   
Given maintenance is the greatest burden of a good long term deck, longer time between and easy recoats (i.e. not dreading the cleaning experience so putting it off too long, making it even worse for yourself...) are gold in my book. 
It's harder to prepare previously oiled timbers for CD50 so bite the bullet now if you want to ever use it on this deck. 
Re FW, they call it an oil with water clean up, so who knows...  EDIT- Water Clean Up on the main page, but turps clean up in the Application page. Again, who knows. 
EDIT- FW suggests 8-10m2 per litre coverge on hardwood (website), and CD50 12-15m2 per litre on Merbau (per discussion with them), so your cost difference has pretty much been taken care of...   FW=2-3 coats. CD50=2 coats

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## stevoh741

> its also expensive by a good $50-80 on the 10l can as compared to other oils .. im sure the 4l will be obnoxiously dearer

  
I pay $180 for a 10l tin, bout the same as ultradeck. If you are getting finishes $80 cheaper than this then I'd be wondering about the integrity of the product. You only get what what you pay for.... 
Agree with r3nov8or, website contacts are very helpful for sourcing stockists and information.

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## Skeletor

Once the deck is oiled will it also coat my shiny new SS screws? I like the look of the SS with the dark stain, so I'd rather not have all the screws covered in a film of oil.

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## bluemetal77

> I pay $180 for a 10l tin, bout the same as ultradeck. If you are getting finishes $80 cheaper than this then I'd be wondering about the integrity of the product. You only get what what you pay for....

  F&W is $165 for a 10l tin.. the cheapest cutek i found was at $230 on the internet which don't deliver to NSW anyways.. duh! .. i wouldn't mind paying $180 for it if i can get it .. which is only off by $15 so not a big difference of "you get what you pay for" price wise .. i'll try getting in touch with the chemisys people .. 
On another note .. my deck is 20sqm .. so maybe a 4l can is what i should go for .. would give me my 2 initial coats plus a recoat next year .. 
On the original topic .. im keen on trying the lambswool applicator .. my deck sits 25mm from any wall so no need to cut in anywhere .. but i'll see how i go with sanding the ss screw splinters first ..

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## bluemetal77

Good one! .. i think it will def cover it .. and not like you can go clean it up a lil while its wet .. caz u'll ruin the oil around it .. so maybe when its absolutely dried you can clean it up? 
You know just washing it and the tannins comin out also stains the ss screws .. so u're not getting away with it anyways  :Smilie:    

> Once the deck is oiled will it also coat my shiny new SS screws? I like the look of the SS with the dark stain, so I'd rather not have all the screws covered in a film of oil.

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## bluemetal77

> I did the same yesterday. Very helpful. In Geelong 4L is averages $110, and tint is about $13. If this stuff doesn't extend time between recoats and make recoats super easy I'll eat my hat.

  hmmm.. when you say tint is $13 .. you mean it comes untinted? i thought it had 13 colors .. !?

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## r3nov8or

It comes in 4L and 10L tins of clear and they sell pots of tint for the size of clear tin you buy. And you add it yourself. No big deal IMO.

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## bluemetal77

> It comes in 4L and 10L tins of clear and they sell pots of tint for the size of clear tin you buy. And you add it yourself. No big deal IMO.

  So it doesn't need the great bunnings shake up in those machines? .. i can just add n stir it in? 
On a separate note .. which tints have you tried/found nice in your opinion and on what wood ... thanks!

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## r3nov8or

> So it doesn't need the great bunnings shake up in those machines? .. i can just add n stir it in? 
> On a separate note .. which tints have you tried/found nice in your opinion and on what wood ... thanks!

  You'll find decking oil very running and easy to stir - so easy be careful not to splash any. 
The Cutek/Chemisys guys will recommend combinations for you. Burnt Red for Merbau is one example.

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## bluemetal77

Great thanks! .. me and wifey don't want a reddish finish .. but a brownish nearer to the original merbau color .. 
Cutek people passed on a contact in Sydney (norwest) which happens to be a timber place! Not even a paint shop .. so will get in touch with them and see what they can hat up. 
Ok so on the topic of applicators, i tried sanding a few of those screw splinters and it goes away well .. but the area around it also, obviously, gets sanded .. im hoping that's not a big deal and the oil/tint will cover it up .. and on a 2nd note .. the dang screws are reacting with water/timber and making the holes appear blackish .. totally don't like it .. like totally!

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## r3nov8or

I reckon wet merbau looks reddy-brown but my wife reckons I should get my eyes checked, constantly  :Smilie:  
Yep, the Geelong locations for Cutek are all large timber suppliers with hardware sections... 
I don't like sanding 'piecemeal', it's likely to mean the oil will absorb differently on the sanded section. The blackish holes may be a concentration of tannins. Maybe it's very very dark reddy-brown  :Wink:  ? 
Remember, it's just a deck - not an heirloom  :Smilie:

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## r3nov8or

<oops>

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## bluemetal77

> I pay $180 for a 10l tin, bout the same as ultradeck. If you are getting finishes $80 cheaper than this then I'd be wondering about the integrity of the product. You only get what what you pay for....

  Ok so i got in touch with the NSW supplier for Cutek and he quotes $248 for the 10l can including tint .. or $122 for a 4l can with tint .. Now that's about or more than double the price for other oils i've seen ..  
Any comments on the cost-benefit ?

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## r3nov8or

Aren't all the comments above? e.g. 
Better coverage on hardwoods
Less coats (2 coats max instead of sometimes 3 with other oils)
Easiest preparaton for recoat.  
Less frequent recoat, dependant on conditions. But certainly no more frequent than other oils.
18 colours. This page gives reccomendations for different tones on common species. Colour Recommendations 
Oils ain't oils, Sol.

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## blink471

Im sure that Cutek is a good quality oil.. and gives great results... And Stevoh741 you think nothing else compares in every post you do... But thats good, it works for you.
But Im also sure there are other oils out there that offer results just as comparable, without the price tag. I live in the Illawarra, and for me to buy Cutek allowing for delivery would be a motza... Where as I have seen some great results using for example Preschems Aussie Clear for half the price. It looked fantastic on the deck I seen.... And in this big country of ours, where delivery costs can be a factor, using a particular brand recommended on here it would affect a lot of people with what they can afford. 
We have all went down the path of using Napisan for cleaning because it does the same thing for a fraction of the price of commercial deck cleaners... This theory can also be extended to the oil we use I think... 
Obviously there will be some exceptions to the rule.. 
Feel free to tell me Im wrong.

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## stevoh741

Horses for courses.....

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## r3nov8or

> ...
> Feel free to tell me Im wrong.

  You are not wrong. No one is wrong.

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## baileyboy

Anyone knows where to get Cutek in Brisbane? I was going to use Sikkens but turns out that I'll have to use Cetol HLS as a stain and then use Cetol Deck as a top coat. Sounds like a lot of hassle. I rather use one which is tinted instead. So going to use Cutek instead.

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## Titan 404

Does anyone have any photos of Decks coated with Cutek (and their associated tints/clear), it's pretty hard to tell off the website what would actually look good in real life.

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