How To Treat Decking

What Is Mortar?

Mortar is a mixture of sand and cement and once mixed, is a workable paste which hardens to bind bricks and building blocks such as stones and concrete masonry.

It is typically known to be thicker than other binding materials. This makes mortar a great option for building outdoor structures like walls, barbecues and structures made of bricks and blocks.

There are two ways that you can mix mortar; either with a cement mixer or by hand. Read on to find out what you will need for your project and how to mix mortar (using both methods) ready to use in your project.

What You Will Need

• Decking Cleaner
• Decking Stripper
• Stiff Brush
• Pressure Washer
• Decking Oil/Stain/Treatment
• Brush
• Hose
• Bucket

Cleaning Your Decking

The first step to ensuring your deck looks great and stays that way is making sure it is properly clean. This will remove any debris that may have built up over the winter, leaving a blank canvas for your chosen oil or stain.

• Remove any furniture or decoration from your decking to give you access to all areas whilst cleaning. Make sure you cover any plants or vegetation that cannot be moved with some plastic sheeting for protection.
• Using a stiff brush or broom, clear your dry decking of any loose debris like twigs and leaves, applying extra pressure to loosen and sweep away any moss, mould or algae that may have accumulated.
• Pour the Ronseal Decking Cleaner & Reviver directly onto the deck and use your stiff brush or broom to scrub the entire decked area.
• Leave the Decking Cleaner & Reviver for 15 – 20 minutes to allow it to penetrate the decking fully.
• Rinse off the decking thoroughly, ideally with a pressure washer, or alternatively, you can use the stiff brush to scrub the deck again and hose clean afterwards. The Decking Cleaner & Reviver must be completely washed away as any residue may prevent subsequent stains or treatments from working as effectively as possible.

Whilst cleaning your decking be careful, as it can become incredibly slippery when wet. Undiluted Ronseal Decking Cleaner & Reviver may not enter drains or watercourses, and if any product comes into contact with surrounding grass or plants, please rinse thoroughly to prevent any damage to the areas.

Stripping Your Decking

For decking that has an existing stain or varnish that has started to peel, or if it has previously been treated with oil and you’d like to try something new, a decking stripper may be required. The Ronseal Decking Stripper works hard to remove existing stains and oils from your decking, whether you’re looking to apply a new colour or you feel the old one is looking a bit worn. Ronseal Decking Stripper needs to be applied when the temperature is between 15 and 25 degrees centigrade.

• Remove any furniture or decoration from your decking to give you access to all areas whilst cleaning. Make sure you cover any plants or vegetation that cannot be moved with some plastic sheeting for protection.
• Using a stiff brush or broom, clear your dry decking of any loose debris like twigs and leaves, applying extra pressure to loosen and sweep away any moss, mould or algae that may have accumulated.
• Pour a little of the Ronseal Decking Stripper into a metal or plastic bowl or tray and use a thick brush to cover a small section of your decking with a thick layer of the stripper.
  Leave the stripper to work for approximately 30 minutes, keeping a careful eye out so you can reapply to any patches that have started to dry out. Use a sharp edge, like a paint scraper, to scrape the surface of your decking to check that the stripper has worked. If not, apply an additional layer and leave for a further 10 to 15 minutes.
• When you are sure it is ready, use your stiff brush to loosen the finish, making sure you scrub along any grooves. Pouring some water onto the surface of your decking will help you remove the remainder of the old decking finish or treatment, so get the deck a little wet and keep scrubbing.
• Repeat steps 3, 4 and 5 until you have covered your decking with the stripper and scrubbed it off entirely. Then using your pressure washer or garden hose, wash your decked area in its entirety, to reveal the lovely natural grain of the wood ready to be retreated with oil or stain when dry.

Whilst stripping your decking be careful, as it can become incredibly slippery when wet. Undiluted Ronseal Decking Stripper should not enter drains or watercourses, and if any product comes into contact with surrounding grass or plants, please rinse thoroughly to prevent any damage to the areas. Contact your local authority for advice on how to dispose of any waste product.

Treating Your Decking

The first thing you need to decide is what sort of finish you’d like to apply to your decking. There are a number of different options, which one you choose will depend on what you want your decking to look like.

Decking Oil

Working with the natural qualities of the wood, decking oil provides a good level of weatherproofing without covering up the actual timber used to create your decking boards. This provides long lasting protection against the elements, and the Ronseal Ultimate Decking Oil we have available is rainproof in 90 minutes. Available in different colours, decking oil lightly tinted to bring out the natural shade of your decked area.

Decking Stain

With a selection of options available, a stain is a great way to treat and protect your decking whilst adding a touch of colour. The Ronseal Ultimate Decking Stain range has a number of different colours to choose from, so whether you want to create a contrast to brighten up your garden or match the rest of your wooden furniture and garden buildings, there is sure to be something perfect for you. Stain does not form a film and soaks into the boards of your deck, so it will not peel or flake.

Decking Protector

If you are looking for decking protection without altering the colour of your deck, Ronseal Decking Protector may be just the thing for you. Translucent, this decking protector contains waxes designed to repel water and the UV filters help to prevent the natural colour of your decking fading to grey.

Decking treatments need to be applied to clean decks that are totally dry, so you will need to wait until there has been no rain for at least 2 days. Treatments are usually applied with a paint brush in small sections, working in the direction of the grain of the wood. It is important to ensure that the gaps between the wooden boards are also covered, so take extra care when going over these parts. All decking treatments are different, so it is important that you follow the directions on the packaging to make sure you get it right.

FAQ's

How Many Bags Or Tubs Of Blue Circle Mortar Will I Need?
You can calculate the amount of Postcrete you will need by using this handy online calculator.

Where Can I Find More Information About Mortar?
For more information about the Mortar product itself, take a look at this detailed product data sheet.

Where Can I Find More Information Regarding Health & Safety When Using Mortar?
Before using this product, please refer to the product packaging for all health and safety information. You can also take a look at this detailed material safety data download.

Can I Recycle The Packaging?
Yes, all Blue Circle plastic packaging is made of recyclable material so is suitable for recycling and should be disposed of in the correct manner.

We hope you found this guide useful in learning how to mix mortar ready for your building projects. Hopefully you are now feeling confident enough to complete your project to a professional finish. For a video breakdown of the process, you can head to this step-by-step video demonstration.

If you found this post useful, please tag us in any social media posts of your projects using @BradfordsBuild on Facebook, @bradfords_building_supplies on Instagram, or bradfords-building-supplies-ltd on LinkedIn, so that we can see the finished result.

If you need further help or advice, please contact us or visit your local branch to speak to one of our experts.