Decking can have a very bad image, as most of us have experience the green, slimy and lethally slippery decks which result from poor construction and lack of maintenance. There’s no reason why a softwood deck cannot last a life time and look good all year round. For a softwood deck to be successful it ideally needs to be sited in a sunny location and be cleaned and treated once or ideally twice a year. We tend to install softwood decks to a slight fall to aid drainage and use a good quality decking with a finer ‘reeded’ finish which doesn’t allow water to sit in the grooves and prevents the ‘algae bloom’ which makes decks slippery.
Biannual cleaning with a deck brush followed by a protective coating of clear decking oil should be all you the maintenance that’s required. Use an oil with UV protection if you want to maintain the golden timber appearance of the deck and clear your deck of garden furniture and planters over the winter months.