Deck Coating & Restoration

The three stages of Spa-N-DECK

There are three products that make up the deck coating and restoration system (1) Powerlift (2) Spa-N-Deck Prep (3) Spa-N-Deck Acrylic Coating, we need to have a clear understanding about these products.

Powerlift; – Three detergents mixed together in a secret mix that works powerfully on timbers. Lets face it we have to look at timber as a natural product and so in nature the timber is protected by natural occurring processes and these protectorates have to be removed to allow any decking products to soak in and fill up the pores of the timber. So we will look at two situations: new timber and previously coated timbers.

New Timber: – Timbers fall into the category of having natural occurring oils such as our eucalyptus timbers, natural occurring greasy timbers, mostly local timbers from Asia, and lastly timbers which have a degree of tannin from brown to red as in merbau. All of the above will have to be treated with Powerlift, to bring to the surface those naturally occurring contaminants and then with the scrubbing action to remove the surface contaminants. They are not bad contaminants so to say because they protect the timber, but to get any new product into the wood they have to be removed so they can be replaced. If you wish you can just use Powerlift and then what ever decking product you choose. If you choose to go this way you have to make sure the timber is sufficiently dry, but the naturally occurring tannins will be brought to the surface and then cleaned, will leave behind a residue of colour which may be not pleasing, but if you wish, you need to go no further in the cleaning process. Incidentally if you are going to use decking oils add 10% – 15% Penetrol and you will get better penetration into the wood.

Previously Coated Timber

If you want to remove any existing faded product., whether decking stain, decking oil, linseed or water repellent oil or any decking oil containing lanoline, you should use Powerlift to remove this .Any film bearing product such as acrylic decking system as acrylic decking system such as Spa-N-Deck, if it is more than three years in the direct sun Powerlift could shift it. Remember this is not a paint stripper it contains no harmful ingredients, so any film bearing product, that you wish to remove has to be approached differently, such as using flood’s Citristrip to blister the film and to scrap it away, then use Powerlift to remove the rest of what is left. Again the coating system is your choice.

Spa-N-Deck Prep; It is powerful medium with oxalic acid added to open the grain and to remove the last scrap of tannin etc. When the using the prep after powerlift the resulting process brings back the natural colour of the deck. (incidentally oxalic acid is the toxic leaves of a rhubarb plant) You will find if our cleaning process is used you will get a better result and thus a better job then any others on the market, if you choose not to use Flood’s Spa-N-Deck product you must wait for the deck to dry sufficiently .

Spa-N-Deck Acrylic; This is a unique product and there is no other product like it on the market. It is unique because you save time by not having to wait for the cleaning products to dry, you use the prep straight after the Powerlift and while the deck is damp after the prep has been used and flushed off you apply the first treatment of Spa-N-Deck acrylic using the water to draw it down into the timber. In simple words it is a (1), (2), (3) process one after the other and no waiting period. It is an “in the timber, on the timber” product. Most finishes fall into one of the two categories – a surface sealer or a penetrating finish. Various industry experts will argue the benefits of one or the other, but why try to choose when you can combine the best attributes of both into one finish? Surfaces film lie on top of the deck and do not dive into the surface as a penetrating finish does. While surface sealers form a protective layer on the top of the deck, which allows for for longer-lasting colour retention, they can be easily scuffed off with heavy foot traffic or sliding furniture. Surface films can also clog the timber pores, and with repeated use, cause build-up that can peel and flake. Especially in hard tropical environment the deck makes big movements between rain and sunshine. In exterior usage, varnishes or sealer are mostly the big loser because of cracks resulting from shrinking and expanding process. The next rain will penetrate into the timber through the cracks and can’t vaporize out. As a result of this cycling process the timber underneath the protective layer starts fouling. After a short period, the timber loses strength and has to be replaced. A penetrating finish drives into the timber working from the inside out and allowing for longer protection from natures damaging elements. A penetrating finish, however, does not retain colour as well as a surface film and can fade at a faster rate. The Flood’s Spa-N-Deck 100% acrylic timber finish offers the best of both types of finishes by combining the superior qualities of both penetration as well as a protective and abrasion resistant top layer.

Flood’s Spa-N-Deck timber finish is guaranteed against cracking and peeling for 2 years on decks and 4 years on vertical surfaces.