Exterior timber decks and fences
Outdoor living is one of the great things about being a Kiwi (that's a New Zealander for those non kiwis). Most of us are now pretty careful to protect ourselves from the effects of the sun. The timber surfaces around your home - your deck and fences - also need protection from UV rays. If left unpainted, timber surfaces can deteriorate and discolour.

Here's how to protect the wood around your home from "sunburn" and have the deck looking great for summer BBQs.

Surface preparation:

1. Remove all moss and mould:
   Thoroughly clean down to remove all loosely adhered material. Treat areas of moss or mould infestation with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, correctly diluted with clean water. Leave for up to forty eight hours to achieve full kill.
   
   For heavy infestations further applications may be needed. Wash thoroughly with clean water to remove all residue.
   
   
2. Sand timber surfaces:
   Always sand along the grain to remove minor imperfections and any loose surface fibres. Loose fibres can be assumed to be present if the timber is left exposed to the weather for more than one week. Remove dust.
   
   Sharp edges on timber are very difficult to apply paint to, as paint tends to flow away from edges, leaving weak spots. For best results these sharp edges must be sanded to a rounded profile.
   
   NB: All sanding dusts can be harmful and appropriate protection should be worn. In particular dust from old lead or chromate based paint can be injurious to health if inhaled or ingested. Seek expert advice if the presence of these materials is suspected.
   
   
3. End grains:
   Always coat end grains (i.e. underneath the fence) as this prevents moisture penetration into the timber surface which will eventually crack the paint film or rot the timber.
   
   
4. Moisture:
   Generally timber should not be coated when its moisture content is above 17%. Contact Resene if this is suspected.

Painting:
Timber decks and fences usually are coated using a low sheen pigmented paint or semi transparent penetrating oil stain.

For a painted finish Resene Lumbersider is designed to work in two coats, a third coat will substantially improve the durability of the system, usually doubling its lifetime. Strongly recommended over bare timber is the pre-treatment of Resene TimberLock which improves the durability of subsequent coatings.

Regular washing of the surface with Resene Moss & Mould Killer also extends the life of the system.

Apply two (or three) coats of Resene Lumbersider at 12 square metres per litre. Popular colours are the greens, olives, browney reds and earthy tones. Follow label instructions at all times.

• Semi-transparent stain:
  For a semi-transparent stain apply two coats of Resene Waterborne Woodsman, wiping away any surplus stain. For dressed timber a third coat will be needed after three months. Resene Waterborne Woodsman will require maintenance after two summers. Follow label instructions at all times.

Cleaning up:
Cleaning up waterbased paints is different to solventbased paints - click here for detailed instructions on clean up.