I have a garden that is very water efficient, so it looks great in the warmer months, but it can become a little overgrown and wild in the colder months. I might not spend as much time out there in winter, but I still like it to look good. I have been working on the garden design to help it look good all year round, and I have found that with the right plant selection and preparation, the garden can look great throughout the year. This blog has tips for other homeowners who are looking to improve the appearance of their garden when the weather gets wet.
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A well built timber deck can be a beautiful and useful addition to almost any garden, providing sure footing whatever the weather or time of year. However, if a timber deck is neglected it will become less reassuringly sturdy underfoot, and a poorly maintained timber deck can become a slippery liability in cooler, wetter months.
This is far from an inevitable fate for your deck, however, and there are many ways to improve traction on a deck that is starting to lose its grip. Besides simple cleaning and texturing with sanders, non-slip treatments can be applied directly to the wood to increase friction underfoot and make your deck safe whatever the weather. These treatments come in a number of formulations, each with their own advantages and disadvantages:
Non-slip paints
These paints are generally oil or acrylic based, and are very similar to traditional wood paints designed for outdoor use. However, they also contain a granular solid such as sand, micro-beads or ground stone that creates a rough surface underfoot even in wet weather.
These paints are tremendously tough and are capable of standing up to years of abuse from wind, rain and human feet. Most non-slip paints also contain UV stabilisers to prevent the paint fading, bubbling or peeling as a result of intense sunlight exposure. However, these paints can become very unsightly when they do eventually begin to decay and will require total re-coating to properly renew their looks. Non-slip paints are available in a huge variety of colours, but aren't suitable if you want to emphasise the natural grain of your wood.
Non-slip varnishes
These varnishes essentially provide the same thick, textured coating as non-slip paints, but are not opaque or pigmented, allowing the natural colour and grain of your deck to remain prominent. As such, they are an excellent alternative for more traditional or rustic decking. Due to their functional similarities, varnishes essentially have the same advantages and disadvantages as paints. However, the coating of varnish is still visible despite its transparency and may leave your deck with with an undesirably 'glossy' look.
Non-slip oils
Like paints and varnishes, these oils contain fine granular solids which provide a rough, high traction surface once dried. Unlike paints and varnishes, these treatments soak into the pores of the wood rather than forming a protective skin on the top, allowing them to provide a non-slip surface without visibly peeling or cracking when damaged.
These oils are an excellent choice if you want to minimise the visual impact of non-slip treatment on your wood, and the oiling process can even make the wood's natural colours and grains richer and more prominent. However, they tend not to last as long as paints of varnishes and will need regular reapplication to remain effective.
Non-slip inserts
An easy and inexpensive alternative to liquid treatments, these solid textured inserts are slotted into the grooved planks of decks, allowing them to increase traction without completely covering the wood beneath. An excellent choice if safety is absolutely paramount, these inserts may present too much of a visual eyesore for some deck owners.
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