It's best to treat the terrace two times in the year, in the spring and in the autumn time. You'll need to oil your deck at least once a year to keep it looking fine and to stay in good shape for years to come.

If you choose to treat the terrace only in the autumn time it will protect the terrace during the winter. And if you choose to treat the terrace only in the spring time the terrace will look lustrous for the summer season. Sadly one treatment in the spring time will not protect the terrace during the winter.

That's why the terrace and furniture should be treated in autumn so that they are prepared for the winter and can withstand the frost and moisture on the terrace surface.

If your terrace is new and made of pressure-treated wood, it is recommended to oil it the following spring. New pressure-treated wood contains moisture and must be allowed to evaporate.

Follow our easy 5 step guide for terrace maintenance in autumn.

Step 1: Empty the terrace 

All furniture, flowerpots, statues, lanterns, a grill etc. should be moved off the terrace for the winter so that moisture does not stay under them and leave stains on wood. 

It is preferable to clean the furniture before storing them indoors. If it is not possible to store them indoors, wood oil treatment is advisable for the furniture. 

If you decide to store the outdoor furniture on the terrace in the winter, it's beneficial to clean up underneath the furniture in the late autumn time. 

Step 2: Protect the area around the terrace

Before cleaning and oiling, it is advisable to protect the surfaces near the terrace carefully, as the detergent and oil will spill quite easily. 

Step 3: Clean the terrace 

The terrace should be cleaned first with a brush or pressure washer and then treated with wood oil. If needed use WOODCARE.GUIDE Terrace Wash & Mould & Maintenance Cleaner. 

If you use a different treatment agent than the one you've been using before, the terrace must be washed with a detergent that removes the leftovers of the old treatment agent.

Before going to the next step make sure the terrace is dried out throughout. That might take 12 hours or until the next day depending on the temperature and humidity, so reserve at least two or three days for the whole cleaning and oiling process. Note that some cleaning detergents can require up to 2 days to dry.

Step 4: Take a look at the weather forecast

The best time to treat is in the late autumn time but when the temperature is still at least 15°C / 59°F and relative humidity approximately 50%. To get the best result make sure it's not raining and that there's no direct sunlight during the treatment day and preferably no raining for couple days after the treatment. 

Step 5: Treat the terrace 

To begin with read the instructions from the oil can and follow them all the way. For all the different kinds of oils there are different Instructions, but here are some general do's and don'ts  for terrace oiling:

Do's

• Do use a tinted treatment agent since it protects the wood from the UV 
• Do stir the oil well for about 30 seconds
• Do treat one board at a time
• Do apply the oil in thin layers
• Do let the first layer dry for at least 2 hours and if desired treat again (two thin layers is usually recommended)

Don'ts

• Don't place any furniture on the terrace for at least 5-7 days if possible
• Don't use paint, varnish or lacquer to treat the terrace, since they will quickly elapse and are much harder to maintain than regular wood oil