Cleaning and coating six decks is a big job. So when Deane Waldron, owner of this beautiful property in Queenstown, New Zealand, decided to embark on such a project, he wanted a premium product that would keep the timber in top condition for as long as possible.

The striking house was built in 1973 on an extensive block of land held by a mining magnate from New Caledonia. As one of just three original properties across ten blocks, it was built for the owner’s daughter and no expense was spared as it became one of the few properties in Queenstown with a swimming pool and extensive stonework inside and out.

It’s a beautiful house with spectacular vistas of the mountains and Lake Wakatipu but the grey, weathered decks had been neglected for many years and were in desperate need of revitalising. “Decks just look so much better when they have been maintained correctly and coating them with a premium stain such as Sikkens adds significantly to their life expectancy,” says Deane.

“There was a lot of work involved. Seven full days of preparing and staining all the wood, so it was not a job that I wanted to do again anytime soon,” explains Deane. “This is why we went for the best product on the market, Sikkens. It’s also much more cost-effective in the long term to maintain decks, rather than have to replace them.”

Working with two others, Deane followed the Sikkens System process to get the best possible results. This involved washing down all the decks with Sikkens Cetol BL Deck & Wood Cleaner before sanding the decks back with a Mirka DEROS sander, one of the most powerful, compact and ergonomic electric dust- free sanders on the market.

Once this was complete, they applied three coats of Sikkens Cetol HLse, a long lasting, UV and weather-resistant stain with a satin finish. They also took the opportunity to coat several other wooden structures around the property including wooden benches and a garden gate.

The final result, as Deane says is “absolutely fantastic” with all six decks looking “good as new”.