Conservit – Clean, Renovate & Protect Wood, Stone, Glass & Plastics

Why Decking Goes Grey and How Best to Clean It

As Spring approaches, our thoughts turn once more to the garden. Chances are as you look out of your window, the first thing you’ll notice is that your decking needs cleaning and how grey it has gone over the winter. That flat expanse of dirty, grey, algae-covered planks bears little resemblance to the stylish outdoor room you imagined from that gardening magazine or TV show. So what went wrong?

Well, the natural elements in decking mean that the surface of the wood oxidises when exposed to sun, wind and rain causing the wood to go grey if left untreated.  This surface will collect dirt, dust, pollen and other items blown around by the wind.

Once this environmental carpet starts to build on your deck, the conditions are right for algae to grow.   Algae will flourish in the damp conditions and over time will create a slippery blanket on the surface of the wood.

Not only is this unsightly but can be a hazard as the wood will become increasingly slippery as the algae continues to multiply.

This carpet on the surface of the wood also holds moisture and when temperatures drop below zero, the water held in the micro fibrous roots of the algae will freeze.  This freezing will gradually deteriorate the surface of the decking and eventually split the surface allowing more water to seep into the fibre of the wood, which again will freeze and expand  – gradually breaking up the wood.

One of the most common methods of cleaning decking is to jetwash it. The high pressure water lifts surface dirt and strips away a microscopic layer of the timbers, returning the wood to its original colour. Typically after cleaning the decking, a couple of coats of teak oil are applied. While this approach can be effective in quickly restoring decking, it isn’t particularly long lasting. It is only a matter of months, or even weeks, before the decking starts to turn grey again and needs to be cleaned once more.

Conservit’s approach to cleaning decking is rather different. Firstly, by stripping off the ‘carpet’ and the grey oxidisation with Conservit Wood Restorer, the wood can be returned to its natural state.  Then by applying Conservit Wood Protection the wood will be protected from the elements and water will be stopped on the surface removing the risk of damage.  Algae will not survive in these dry conditions and as such your decking will no longer become dangerously slippery when wet.

Unlike the conventional jet wash and teak oil method to clean decking, using the Conservit approach gives protection that will last for at least two years.

**Special Spring Offer**

Buy 1L of each of our Wood Restorer and Wood Protection Product for just £48.00