Deck Sanding & Oiling
Priced from $40/m2
Coastal decks on the Peninsula do it tough. Sun, salt spray, southerly wind and the odd summer of relentless use all conspire to strip finishes fast. A deck that looked fine two summers ago is often silver, splintering and slippery underfoot by the third.
We sand decks back to raw timber, replace damaged boards, and re-oil with a system suited to your exposure — heavier pigment for west-facing decks, lower-sheen for shaded, and marine-grade oils for anything within cooee of the beach.
The result is a deck you can walk on barefoot, that shrugs off the summer, and that gets a straightforward top-up every 12 to 18 months instead of a full strip-back every three years.
OUR PROCESS
- 01 Assessment: check board condition, fixings, subframe (where visible) and exposure.
- 02 Replace splintered, cupped or rotted boards.
- 03 Sand back to raw timber — drum, edger and detail sander.
- 04 Re-punch nails or lift and re-fix loose boards.
- 05 Clean surface thoroughly and let dry to spec.
- 06 Apply two coats of chosen decking oil, cutting in around edges.
WHAT’S INCLUDED
- From $40/m² — includes sanding, prep and two-coat oil.
- Oil systems chosen for coastal exposure.
- Board replacement quoted separately per board.
- Recommend refresh every 12–18 months on exposed coastal decks.
COMMON QUESTIONS
How often should a Peninsula deck be re-oiled?
A west-facing coastal deck usually needs a refresh every 12 to 18 months. Shaded or inland decks can stretch to 2–3 years. We’ll tell you what your exposure realistically needs.
Can you sand a deck that has been stained rather than oiled?
Yes. Sanding removes the previous finish entirely and gets us back to raw timber. From there you can go back to stain, oil, or a decking-specific coating system.
What oil do you use?
Depends on the deck. For heavily exposed west or south-west facing coastal decks we recommend higher-pigment marine-grade decking oils. For shaded areas, a lower-sheen oil with less UV protection is fine.
Should I replace or repair split boards?
Individual splits can be filled and coated over. Boards that are splitting through the fixings, cupping badly, or rotted at ends should be replaced. We quote per board.
What about the joists underneath?
We check what’s visible from above. Full subframe rebuilds are a chippy job, not ours — but we’ll flag anything obvious and refer to a trades partner.
Do you work on holiday rentals?
Regularly. We schedule around booking cycles — usually a Monday-through-Thursday turnaround so the deck is dry and re-usable for the next weekend guests.
What timber is most Peninsula decking made from?
Older Peninsula decks are typically Merbau, some Spotted Gum, some Blackbutt. Newer builds often use pre-oiled hardwood decking boards. All sand and re-oil the same way.
Can you oil around outdoor furniture and pot plants?
We’ll ask you to clear the deck before we start. Sanding requires a fully open surface. Once the second coat is dry, you can reinstate everything.