To preserve the natural beauty of your wooden deck and protect it from the elements, regular application of a saturator is essential. But when is the best time to apply a wood deck saturator? Discover the best seasons and ideal conditions for applying a saturator in this article.
Why protect wood ?
Wood is a noble, natural material that adds a warm, ecological feel to outdoor spaces. Because it's outdoors, wood is exposed to a wide range of everyday stresses and strains, such as stains and impacts, as well as the vagaries of the weather, including :
- the rain,
- the snow,
- the frost,
- UV rays from the sun…
So it's important to protect your wooden decking, cladding and garden furniture from all these stresses. This will prevent your wood from greying prematurely. Instead of applying a wood saturator,, you might be tempted to use wood stain. Note, however, that wood stains are film-forming, tinted products that leave a thick film on the surface and require regular, laborious renewal.
Unlike wood stain, saturator is a fluid product that impregnates the wood in depth . It acts as a barrier against external aggression and nourishes the wood at the same time. What's more, with the application of saturators, there's no need to strip the wood before reapplying new maintenance coats. So it's an interesting option in terms of ease of maintenance.
Anova Bois, France's specialist in outdoor wood care and protection products, offers you a wide range of high-performance saturators adapted to different species of wood: autoclave, exotic, classic softwood, grey... A team of skilled professionals guarantees you tailor-made support and relevant advice to help you choose the product that is perfectly suited to your surfaces.
Apply saturator to a new deck after installation
The saturator should be applied to a new deck after the wood has been exposed outdoors for a few weeks. This allows the wood to dry and stabilise. For local woods such as pine and other softwoods, 2 to 4 weeks after the installation is recommended. However, for exotic species, it is preferable to wait up to 6 weeks before applying the saturator. This waiting time also allows the wood to become more available for the impregnation of a product like the saturator. This is essential to nourish the wood, prevent it from cracking and maintain a beautiful wood appearance. It should be noted that some factory-finished wood, such as Douglas fir, is often very closed and difficult to impregnate.
Applying saturator to a new deck prevents the wood from 'greying' from exposure to UV rays. To make the wood easier to impregnate with the saturator, it can be brushed with soapy water immediately after installation. This treatment makes wood more porous and prevents having to wait several weeks for exposure. You will need a brush and a bucket of warm water mixed with a mild soap. Anovabois' SN800 Black Soap is perfectly suited to this operation.
Applying saturator to an old terrace
In the case of wooden decking that has been in place for more than one or two years, applying a saturator will revive the wood's natural colour and protect it from the elements. However, before applying the saturator, it is important to clean or degrease the deck boards. When renovating a house, this will remove the dirt and residues that have built up on the wood over time. Don't hesitate to apply a special cleaner to the boards. This will improve the adhesion of the saturator and ensure an optimum finish.
Obviously, after a certain period of exposure to the elements, the wood will already have changed its appearance. Applying a tinted saturator will bring out the natural colour of the wood and give your terrace a uniform, attractive appearance.
The right season to apply a wood saturator
For a successful application of a saturator for wood decking or cladding, it's important to choose the right season. The best seasons to apply a saturator are spring or autumn, when temperatures are mild , generally between 15°C and 25°C. If circumstances make it necessary to apply the saturator in summer or in very hot weather, the ideal time to apply the maintenance coat is early in the morning and/or out of direct sunlight.
It's also crucial to ensure that the wood is completely dry before applying the saturator, especially if it's a saturator with a long drying time (oil, for example). Otherwise, the saturator will not be effective and may be absorbed unevenly. It is therefore advisable to wait a few days after a rainfall before applying the product. It's also important to check the weather forecast before applying a wood saturator. There should be no rain in the 48 hours following application. If rain or high humidity is forecast, it’s best to postpone the application until the weather becomes more stable and milder.
Our other advices for outdoor wood
