# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Spotted gum decking and Intergrain Natures Timber Oil

## Renlor

Hi Guys, 
We have builders about to lay our new deck.  After much jumping up and down I have managed to convince my husband to go with the spotty gum and not the yellow balau (with intergrain dwd finish)....far too orangey for my taste. 
As far as I know they wanted to coat the spotty gum with intergrain dwd before laying it.  I have poured through that many posts to try and decide which finish is better to go with.  It's doing my head in!  One thing I do know, is that I don't really like the finish of anything water based...friends of ours have the yellow balau with the intergrain dwd and it's too glossy for my liking.  The builders swear that water based is the way to go, but after lots of reading it seems that this isn't suited to the spotty.  I don't like the idea of having to sand anything back if it fails or if we don't like the finish. 
The deck will be completely covered (other than the step up onto it)...so UV hopefully won't be a big issue.  I really like the colours of the spotted gum and don't really want to cover it with some murky brown or orange oil.  So my question is...what is the best oil to use (and colour) that will still maintain the spotted gum colours?? 
Should I go with the Intergrain natural or cabots or feast watson??  Will mould be an issue with us living in north queensland? And should we clean it ourselves rather than let the builders coat it and lay it straight away? 
Sorry for the 20 questions..... 
Cheers  :Smilie:

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## SilentButDeadly

I'm not going to be much help here as I actually like and use the Intergrain Oil of which you speak....a lot.  Like everywhere.  Even inside on our floors.  So I'm biased. 
It will help retain the colour in your deck...to a point.  Being a natural product, it will degrade.  So after six months on a deck it will begin to get dirty etc etc and every twelves months or so it'll need a decent clean, light sanding and a re-coating.  After a few cycles of this the timber will become pretty much bullet proof and it'll look great with a quick clean up.  But it means that you have to maintain it...and it will, over time, darken up the timber somewhat...but it does give a pretty rich looking glow. 
Using the DWD or whatever it is puts a film on the timber which means it'll keep a bright and shiny-ish look about it for longer but it too degrades over time and its a little more techie to fix up.   
I prefer to slap dash a bit of oil a little more often and jobs done...

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## stevoh741

I use spotty for 90% of the decks I build and found cutek works best for me. Natures oil doesnt seem to last long and seems to needrecoating min every 6 mths.

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## Renlor

Thanks heaps for the replies  :Smilie:  
I've researched a bit more and have ruled out everything bar Intergrain natures oil and cutek....I'm having problems finding someone that stocks cutek up here in Mackay.  The only thing that worries me with the natural oils is their succeptibility to mould, especially with us living in a wet and humid part of Oz. 
Cheers  :Smilie:

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## stevoh741

Google cutek and call them. They will tell you how to get it. Think it is on the chemseys ?? Website.

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## stevoh741

Chemisys Group Main Index

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## Renlor

Thanks Stevoh....have got onto the guys at urbanline in hervey bay...will only take a couple of days to ship it up to Mackay.  Now to figure out whether to go clear or a tint.  The bloke there recommends the autumn tones...or just to leave it clear and they will send up the tint separate.  What colours do you normally put on spotty?...I'm tempted to just leave it clear, as it is a fully covered deck, other than any morning sun that hits it from the side.

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## stevoh741

I've been building decks for yrs and despite everyones best intentions (including my own) few ever keep up with the maintenance and ultimate it degrades. I usually have far better things to do than maintenance so the method I commonly use now is to let the deck grey. Not everyones cuppa but check all the latest architect magazines and they all grey them too. Most of the decks I do are 140x32mm decking and looks great when greyed off (look great coloured too but that look doesn't last too long).  
Despite going for the grey look, it still needs the cutek once evry 12 months to protect it - but use it with no tint. I also scrub it with sugar soap prior to coating as napisan will remove the grey that you just waited 3mths to weather to. 
If you go for a tint its personal choice but if you like dark, the walnut looks good and I've had good success with the golds too. Bear in mind that using a tint recoat will be anywhere from 6 to 18mths (or possibly longer) depending on the exposure to the elements. 
The good news is a recoat is minimal prep and a standard size deck I can do under 1hr so you're back to drinking beers on it rather than breaking your back on it.

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## jimj

steveoh, 
I totally agree with the concept of the best intentions of keeping up with the regular maintenance. It is the lack of this that keeps me working. There is definitely one common theme that runs through this entire decking forum, of timber species,sizes,nails-screws-hidden fasteners,oil-water based coatings,tints,napisan,oxalic acid,sanding,mould,black metal stains. 
 That at the end of the day regardless, Its that beer is the true standout thing that has to remain constant regardless of all the other variables,opinions,theories and beliefs. 
jimj  TGIF

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## stevoh741

> That at the end of the day regardless, Its that beer is the true standout thing that has to remain constant regardless of all the other variables,opinions,theories and beliefs. 
> jimj  TGIF

  couldn't have said it better myself jim   :Cheers2:

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