Looking after a timber deck.

Overview

In short.

Keep the surface clean, keep water moving off it, and recoating only as specified for the timber actually used. Cape Town sun, wind and coastal air change how fast a finish weathers. Deckspertz does not publish a universal oiling calendar or a guaranteed grey-off time. Species and coatings are listed when they were used on a completed project — for example a teak sealant on the Franschhoek Guest Suite.

At a glance

What to consider.

• Sweep debris so water and grit do not sit in the gaps.
• Watch junctions at walls, planters and pool edges.
• Do not blast the surface with methods the original specification did not allow.
• Coastal sites such as Kommetjie, Fish Hoek, Hermanus and Bloubergstrand are harder on fastenings and finishes than sheltered inland gardens.

Our approach

How Deckspertz approaches it.

Ask what was installed, how the site drains, and how the space is used before prescribing a routine. A civic Garapa seat and a private pine balcony are different objects.