# Forum Home Renovation Decking  Merbau decking To weather or not ?

## Dani12

Hi  
I have just finished laying a Merbau deck off the side of my house. I have read a lot of different advise about letting the timber weather and I have found it a bit confusing about how long to let it weather for.  However is there any harm if I treat the timber straight away. I'm thinking of using Feast Watson decking oil. 
Hope someone can help me

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## pharmaboy2

on this site there seems to be lots of people who like the idea of weathering the timber for a months or 2, as I'm sure you've read.  Then the people at Orica who write the info on the side of the feast watsons can, recomend against it - they just say give it a deckclean, then oil it in 2 coats, and dont let it weather for more than 2 weeks (from memory). (personally I follow the label on the can) 
so there you go, 2 options.

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## Dani12

Thanks Pharmaboy2. I like the idea of using the deck oil straight away. will use the Feast Watson and see how it goes.

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## oohsam

I let my deck weather for about 2 months. It lost alot of colour, I then built a step, then I oiled it after a week or so after the step. The boards that weathered for 2 months came back with some good color but the step was amazing after oiling. I should have oiled after 2 weeks. I dont reccomend weathering for more than 2 weeks and then deck clean.

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## silentC

I let mine weather for 18 months, then I hit it with the Karcher, put three coats of oil on and it looks brilliant. So there. I reckon you didn't spend enough time preparing it, because there's no reason why it shouldn't all look like new wood after it's cleaned up - mine did. I also had a step that I built about 6 months ago and with the oil it looks the same as the deck. 
The label on my tin says to let it weather, so I guess it depends on whose label you want to follow. It also depends on how exposed it is. If you let it weather for 6 months under cover, it's not the same as 2 months out in the open. 
My suggestion is that you ignore what people on here say and follow the directions of the manufacturer of the product *you* buy.

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## UteMad

We do merbau decks all the time and don't do the weather bit as we have never had a prob with cleaning them thoroughly and oiling when dry... We had orica out a while ago and the reason they used to say to let it weather was to let the tanins blead out so they didn't float in your top coat... They can't expect people to thoroughly clean the deck so are relying on the rain and time to cover themselves.... Most customers want the deck washed under a controlled environment so as much tanin as possible can be removed asap and prevent staining the surrounding area... I also stand by the logic the board is at its smoothest when you get it why would you want to weather it and have its face deteriorate and roughen.... 
Everyone has there methods as you will see ... Mine has worked for me and i will be sticking to it.... 
Enjoy your new deck  
cheers utemad

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## Dr - 307

Isn't the oil in the merbau meant to protect it and that is why it's a hardwood that is suitable for outdoor conditions?  By bleeding a heap of the tannin out isn't it going against what nature designed?  Dr - 307.

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## russall

Mr-T Pittys the fool that doesn't weather his Merbau.

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## Dr - 307

> Mr-T Pittys the fool that doesn't weather his Merbau.

  Russall, 
What have you seen go wrong with non-weathered merbau?

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## russall

I have not seen any gone bad unweathered decks.  My 2c worth is mainly to do with the finish of weathered Kwila.  Let me explain. 
I built my 40m2 deck basically in 2 halfs, the second half would have been laid approx 2 months after the first. All decking was fully exposed to UV and rain, and rainfall IMHO has been fairly consistent over the past few months.
The first half would have weathered close to 5 months when I gave it 2 passes with Napisan, High pressure hose and then a product called powerlift.  It turned out nice. 
The second half with which had weathered just 3 months I did about 2 weeks later.  It  just did not clean up as nice, and the end result although I was pleased with, was just not as nice as the first, basically faint dark patches, where I'm guessing it would have paid to have given a 4th pass with the Napisan, but at this late stage in the build I was kinda over it. 
What really sunk the message in for me was that I recylced some of the original decking and used it as privacy batons on the sides. What blew me away is that they finish on these boards came up as good if not better that some of the new wood. 
This leaving me to wonder if I shoudl have given the second half of my deck a few more months of weathering.  Given this and the pre installation advice I got from the Timber Yard, Internet and Paint manufacturer I would never coat Kwila before weathering. 
Hope this helps.

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## Dr - 307

Russall, 
Thanks for sharing dude. Very informative. I've told my client to let it weather a couple of months and to wet it all the time. I told him the longer you leave it the better (because of what I read on the forum) and in the end I said that we'll coat it the week before the tiling / paving goes on at the foot of the deck. Should be at least 2 - 3 months.  
Cheers,
Dr - 307.

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