Wood products, decking, cladding, balconies... Make them last, maintain them: clean before protecting

However, while wood is a responsible choice as well as a durable and insulating product with an immediately aesthetic result, in order to preserve its unique qualities, it requires the implementation of good practices from the very beginning of a project.

Why is the maintenance and protection of wood so important compared to other materials?

Wood is a natural but not inert material that changes over time when left exposed to the elements.

It was alive before being cut and retains all its components once transformed.

It is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin which will evolve and lead to its degradation over the years if it is not taken care of.

How does wood degrade?

Water and excess humidity

They cause variations in humidity, and under its effects, the wood can split and crack. It is also one of the driving forces that nourishes all the insects and fungi that can attack and invade the wood.

The sun, and more specifically UV rays

They cause the lignin in the wood to decompose, leading to premature graying and weakening of the material itself. The stronger the sun's intensity, the more prematurely the wood will age, turning white, gray, and eventually cracking.

External elements are not the only factors impacting the longevity of wood; installation and the quality of the finish are two other essential variables in the equation for the lifespan of a wooden structure.

It is therefore obvious that long-lasting wood goes hand in hand with well-maintained wood. The care protocol might seem simple and easy to implement: a quick spray, clean, and you're good to go...

But this material requires special attention; each structure is unique in its design, the type of wood chosen, its orientation, its geographical location... everything is taken into account. Nevertheless, there are some key universal steps to follow during the maintenance and protection phase.

Maintenance, the golden rule

Always work on a clean surface and always protect the wood with a suitable finish, just like you would protect the skin of a face...

Applying a finish to wood that's been roughly cleaned or lightly sanded is like throwing money away, with the risk of having to start all over again. Cleaning is a key step, and the secret to success lies in analyzing the wood to determine the appropriate course of action. There's always a solution, and it's never too late to save a piece of wood (unless it's infested with insects).

IMPORTANT: Never use a high-pressure jet for quick cleaning; this will damage the wood grain and raise the wood fibers, preventing proper application of a finish.

3 tips for effective cleaning

1. With grey and dull wood without film-forming residues: it needs to be degreased.
2. With blackened wood, soiled with greasy dirt embedded in the fibers, which may also come from a previous oiled finish: it is necessary to de-oil it.
3. With wood covered by an old film-forming protection (paint, stain or varnish) that has peeled off: it is necessary to strip it.

Keen to offer high-performance solutions with a formulation adapted to environmental requirements, the teams at Groupe Durieu have worked on their Owatrol® wood range to offer solutions dedicated to each stage of wood cleaning.

Bio-based degreaser

NET-TROL® or how to degrease a surface in 15 minutes

The legendary wood brightener, now available in an 89% bio-based formula, remains as effective as ever. It cleans, revives, and restores wood to its original appearance. Its gel formula makes application easy, prevents drips, and is ideal for both vertical and horizontal surfaces.

Its ultra-wetting power allows it to work in 15 minutes. After rinsing, the surface has regained its original appearance.

Remove the oil and restore the original wood

AQUANETT® or how to remove oil from blackened wood

AQUANETT® also acts very quickly thanks to its gel formula and wetting power, which allows it to penetrate the wood and dissolve ingrained grease, making it water-soluble. After rinsing, the wood regains its original appearance.

NOTE: thanks to its aqueous phase formula AQUANETT® allows easy cleaning of pool decks without damaging the plastic and liners of the pool edges.

Stripping to return to the natural state

DILUNETT® or how to strip up to 8 layers of paint or varnish

DILUNETT® and its extreme wetting power allow it to eliminate all old layers (up to 8) of paints, stains or varnishes and to remove stubborn stains.

THE PLUS: solvent-free, DILUNETT® does not dry out and remains active for a long time, which guarantees the total removal of various coatings.

Note: It is always necessary to stabilize a surface after using AQUANETT® or DILUNETT®. This allows the wood to reach the ideal pH level to ensure the finish adheres properly to the surface while completing the cleaning process.

Zoom on OWATROL® renovation

Saving a very worn-out cladding

Having been exposed for years to ambient pollution, harsh weather including a hailstorm, and UV rays, the very dirty Douglas fir cladding required a targeted assessment and a step-by-step cleaning process. The cladding was more or less blackened depending on the area and its orientation, and each section therefore required a specific approach.

1. On this part, which was heavily exposed to UV rays and very blackened, it was necessary to clean in two stages: AQUANETT® then NET-TROL® stabilization.
2. On this very grey but not dirty part, a cleaning phase with NET-TROL® was enough to restore the original wood.
3. The cladding was then protected with AQUADECKS® honey-tinted saturator.

This water-based saturator, with its exceptional impregnation qualities, has impeccably nourished the wood and protected it to ensure its longevity; it is ready for many years!

Terrace maintenance to ensure its longevity

On this terrace, which had become soiled after 12 months of exposure to the elements and had areas with green growth, the owners preferred to take action before it became even dirtier. This avoided the need for more extensive maintenance and also ensured the structure's optimal longevity.

The maintenance was carried out in two simple phases: removing the grey with a single pass of NET-TROL® and then maintaining with a simple coat of the AQUADECKS® saturator, which allowed us to quickly regain a healthy terrace with a beautiful, warm appearance.