Maintaining a wooden terrace isn’t as complicated as you might think!
The main condition is proper and regular grooming from the beginning, so you will provide the terrace a remarkable endurance in the long term. The preventive lubrication of the terrace must be performed every spring.
Table of Contents
By properly maintaining and processing a wooden terrace, you will get well protected, durable and waterproof a surface with a beautiful and natural look. Provide the surface with great strength and ease of care, and maintenance in the future.
1. Increase the lifetime of the wooden terrace with appropriate handling and maintenance.
- Wooden terraces are exposed to great weather conditions. Intense exposure to sunshine unprotected wooden boards, splitting lignin and damaging the structure of the wood surface.
- The effects of UV rays and wet weather conditions on a vulnerable surface cause it to be grey, cracks are starting to occur, and eventually, the surface becomes slippery and covers dirt and green moss.
- Moss and lichens in particular can retain moisture, which damages the wood in the long run, as the risk of fungi increases and boards rot.
Therefore, in order for a wooden terrace to be beautiful and serve in the long run, it is necessary to properly treat and maintain it.
The key to excellent and durable results is to thoroughly clean the wooden terrace before applying any wooden oil. If you do not clean the surface thoroughly of dirt, the oil will not be able to penetrate deep into the surface and a new layer will form instead, which will accumulate all the dirt on the surface of the oil.
The cleaner and drier the surface, the deeper the wood preservative will penetrate and the stronger its bond with the wood will be.
2. Clean the wooden terrace thoroughly!
We do not recommend the use of high-pressure cleaners, chlorine, algae removers and other strong cleaning agents to clean the surface of the wooden terrace. These methods can do more harm than good.
Instead, we recommend using Tikkurila Kalustepesu, a terrace cleaner, as this product is specially formulated to remove moss and algae growth while protecting the surface.
Keep in mind that after cleaning, before applying any wood oil, the wood must be completely dry, as a damp surface prevents oil from penetrating the wood.
3. Choose only high-quality coatings for your wooden terrace.
Surface oiling is an important process as it prolongs the life of the wood and prevents it from cracking.
- The oil will also help if the color of the terrace boards has faded and you want to refresh it or completely change the look of the terrace.
- The oil has a good ability to even out, so it is better suited for horizontal surfaces such as terraces, which wear over time in places that are often walked on.
- Preventive oiling helps to even out the resulting wear paths.
Note: it is not recommended to oil the surface in windy or sunny weather, nor should maintenance be performed if the humidity is too high or the boards are not yet dry.
Once the wood surface is clean and completely dry, you can start working. We can recommend you high quality and professionally tested products!
Tikkurila brand oils especially suitable for our climate:
Tikkurila Valtti Kaluste – oil for terraces, garden furniture:
This wood oil in finished shades is an easy-to-use and durable tool for treating wooden furniture for a terrace, bridge or yard. The oil is deeply absorbed into the wood. Furniture and terrace oil Valtti Kaluste- ja terassiöljy is available in shades ideal for the environment and nature: brown, gray and black.
Solvent – based wood oil for outdoor use.
- Suitable for surface lubrication and hardwood tinting.
- Also suitable for thermal wood, impregnated wood and untreated wood surfaces, as well as previously oil-treated surfaces.
- The final tone of the surface will depend on the original wood tone.
- The best results with gray oil can be achieved on light, neutral shades.
- Surfaces that are already gray and soft wood species absorb oil and the result will be dark.
Valtti Plus Terassioljy – oil for terraces, garden furniture:
Excellent durability and weather protection! Valtti Plus Terassiöljy is a tinted exterior oil that contains special pigments and is resistant to UV rays. The product has very good color fastness. Valtti Plus Terassiöljy is available in brown, ash gray and black.
- Water-based oil based on natural oil, containing wax.
- Provides protection against UV rays.
- Protects wood from moisture and dirt, as well as reduces cracking of the wood surface.
- Suitable for exterior lubrication of cleaned or pre-oiled wood surfaces, hardwood, impregnated and thermally modified wood, as well as untreated wood. (Garden furniture, terraces and berths).
Tikkurila Valtti Puuöljy – traditional outdoor oil for wood:
Tikkurila Valtti Puuöljy traditional wood oil allows you to protect and decorate wooden structures in the garden. This oil protects the wood from moisture and dirt. In a tinted form, it prevents the surface from turning gray and helps prevent wood from cracking.
- Solvent based outdoor oil for wood.
- Protects the wooden surface from moisture and dirt, as well as reduces surface cracking.
- Suitable for clean wood or wood surfaces previously treated with exterior oil, as well as hardwood, thermal wood, impregnated and untreated wood. (Garden furniture, terraces, berths).
- Colorless. Tinting according to Valtti tone card.
Tikkurila Valtti Color – semi-transparent coating for wood, garden furniture and boat docks:
Tikkurila Valtti Color, a traditional solvent-based wood coating, is also suitable for board surfaces. This coating is well absorbed, highlighting the natural beauty of wood. Protects wood from the weather by slowing down the effects of moisture and sun exposure.
- Tinted, colorless oil-based coating.
- Absorbs on the wooden surface and does not form a film after the first coat.
- Protects the wooden surface from the weather.
- Prevents moisture absorption and adverse effects of sunlight.
- Valtti Color is suitable for logs, sawn and planed wooden surfaces, various wooden boards, as well as impregnated wood and thermally modified wooden surfaces for outdoor use.
4. The most suitable tool for applying oil is a brush.
In the online store www.paints-shop.ee you can also buy various work tools from a high quality manufacturer STORCH
A brush attached to the broom handle can be used to facilitate work.
The oil should be applied on one terrace board after another, not forgetting to treat the ends of the cross-sections. The terrace becomes dust-resistant after six hours, but it is desirable that no one walks on its surface for at least 12 hours after treatment.
You can use the LasurStar Premium Storch or LasurTOP Profi Storch brush for more convenient application of terrace oil.
