A stunning example of this partnership is the Tuckomobil barn, built on one of the finest luxury Byron Bay hinterland properties. A build taking nearly 2 years of detailed craftsmanship, requiring frame and all joinery constructed over several months in the workshop and timber yard, which presented unique challenges.

The timber frame here is a premium selection of joinery and Australian Hardwoods, finished with beautiful details, timber windows and doors, copper light fixtures and a range of aesthetic elements.  For an authentic barn, the attention to detail here is a credit to the owners, designers and builders.

These traditional timber frames are primarily constructed using traditional mortice and tenon joinery. They involve months of effort, from design and timber sourcing through to manufacture and installation.

Understanding the in-depth characteristics of each timber species is crucial in this type of work, which typically uses unseasoned F17 NSW hardwoods for the main frame members, along with seasoned Spotted Gum tapered pegs to secure all the connections, without a single steel plate or bolt.

Designed to include some stables for the family horses, workshop space, machinery storage and the option of hosting events, this barn really does have it all.  Landscaping has been completed on site to take full advantage of the views to the east and Lennox Head water views.  This project included 24 cubic metres of locally sourced sustainable hardwood that was handcrafted into a structure that will be admired for hundreds of years.

Preserving craftsmanship from workshop to installation.

“Protecting timber from the elements for projects as large and complex as the Tuckombil barn is vital for complex construction and longevity,” explains Chris Nance of Traditional Timber Frames, “and this is especially the case with handcrafted frames that take a great deal of skilled craftsmanship to construct.

“When building a barn such as the Tuckombil Project,” Chris continues, “the frame and all joinery are often constructed over several months in the workshop and timber yard, which presents unique challenges. The biggest one is the seasoning process of the posts and beams sitting outside in the elements. It’s critical that these timbers don’t weather, warp, or split before reaching the site and this is especially important for the joinery, as checking in the tenons, for example, can significantly weaken the joints.”

This is where Equisol’s environmentally-friendly penetrating oils are essential. The team at Traditional Timber Frames have adapted their procedures around a product that is ideally suited to their needs. Equisol, specifically the ProE365 and Rapid products, have brought a huge positive change for Chris and his team and all the timber frame products they produce.

“By pre-coating all posts and beams directly out of the mill with Equisol, we’ve gained significantly more working time with the timbers and excellent protection while the materials sit in the yard. The timbers stay looking fresh, surface checking and cracks are reduced significantly and the timber colours are retained.”

Peter Sinner of Equisol Professional Woodcare, speaks of the special nature of working with Traditional Timber Frames.

“Every project is unique, so we are always ready with technical information or custom colours to suit Chris’s builds. We recently colour matched hundreds of linear metres of indoor and outdoor timber to create a 1000sqm ranch style home. The result was incredible.”

Setting benchmarks through innovation.

During the construction of the Tuckombil barn, each member was pre-coated with Equisol Rapid as it arrived from the sawmill. The carpenters then completed all the handcrafted joinery, and upon completion, the timbers were coated again prior to transport.  This pre-coating also has the added benefit of protecting against construction marks and weathering, making the final coat of oil at the end of the construction process so much easier.

Chris, who is well known for his specialised training courses in traditional timber craftsmanship and techniques, now recommends this exact process to all his clients and students.

“I cannot recommend highly enough that all timber yards with large-section (often boxed heart) posts and beams in stock, should apply a coat of Equisol. Easy to apply, non-toxic, and visually appealing, the penetrative nature of Equisol oil and its ultra-matte finish suit handcrafted frames perfectly.”

“We all know about oiling our decks (Equisol is great for that too, by the way), but we often overlook the larger timbers.”

Traditional Timber Frames continues to set the benchmark for handcrafted timber construction in Australia, blending time-honoured techniques with a deep respect for the natural beauty and integrity of our native hardwoods. Central to this success is their partnership with Equisol, whose innovative timber protection products have become an integral part of the TTF process. By embracing Equisol’s solutions, Traditional Timber Frames ensures that their craftsmanship is preserved from workshop to installation, allowing each structure to arrive on site looking as good as the day it was milled – and built to last for generations.

It’s easy to ignore your exterior timber during winter. It’s cold, damp and uninviting out there, so it’s tempting to wait and clean it all down in spring.

That could be a mistake.

Winter mould on timber becomes a bigger problem if left untreated.

If you’ve got timber decking, fencing, or cladding on your property, you’ve probably noticed that winter isn’t kind to it – especially in cooler, wetter parts of Australia. Damp and shady conditions are the perfect environment for mould, lichen and mildew to develop. Before long, your beautiful timber can start looking pretty tired-black spots, green slime, slippery patches-the works.

But it’s not just about appearances. That build-up of mould and algae can damage your timber over time, leading to rot, warping, and even safety issues. So, let’s break down why it happens and what you can do about it – without damaging your timber or the environment.

Why does timber get mouldy in winter?

During the colder months, we see a lot more moisture hanging around – rain, dew, and fog settle on surfaces, and because the days are shorter and the sun is weaker, timber can’t properly dry out. Add in a bit of organic material like dust, dirt, and pollen, and suddenly you’ve got mould’s favourite playground.

Timber that’s left untreated or poorly maintained is especially vulnerable. Mould and mildew feed on the surface grime and start working their way in. Aside from looking bad, this can shorten the life of your timber and make it slippery underfoot – particularly dangerous on decking or stairs.

Does mould rot the timber?

Surface mould can hold moisture that accelerates water decay in timber, known as wet rot. So, it’s best to remove it ASAP.

Surface mould also creates ideal conditions to attract wood-decay fungi, which can do serious damage to timber structures by breaking down the lignin and cellulose that give timber its strength.

If your timber feels spongy where there was surface mould, then you have a problem, and the wood structure has already started to fail.

The problem with common cleaning methods.

The best form of mould prevention is keeping your timber dry, but that may not be possible in cold and damp winters.

A lot of people reach for the pressure washer or bleach to deal with mould. While pressure washing can seem like a quick fix, it can do more harm than good – blasting away not just the mould, but also the top layer of timber, leaving it rough and vulnerable.

After pressure washing, it may look clean, but mould can live below the surface, deep down in the timber where water blasting can’t reach. Introducing more water to a wet environment in which mould thrives is also problematic, and you might even push the mould spores deeper into the timber, creating a bigger problem for later.

Should you use chlorine/bleach based cleaners for mouldy decks?

You’ll see it on many DIY forums – use a bleach cleaner. We recommend you do some research before grabbing that tub of Nappysan! The bleach based cleaners will probably kill some surface mould, but it affects the cell structure of the timber, weakening it and causing more permeability in the future. Not to mention discolouring your timber and corrosion of the screws and fastening plates on your deck. Plus, it’s a surface treatment which doesn’t get rid of the imbedded spores or the grime mould feeds on. You’ll be dealing with the same problem in a month of two, with the added nuisance of having to recolour your deck with stain, and replace screws.

So, what’s the better option? Enter Equisol Null.

Equisol Null is a smart, effective alternative that’s made for Aussie conditions. It’s a biocide timber treatment that gets rid of mould, algae, and other organic build-up without damaging the timber or the surrounding environment.

Null is not bleach-based for a start and works by breaking down the debris that mould feeds on, not just bleaching the surface. That means a longer-lasting result. It’s biodegradable and plant-safe, so you don’t have to worry about your garden or local waterways.

Even better, Equisol Null‘s strong biocides work as barrier under your oil coat. Apply Equisol Null, leave to dry and then oil over the top. The Null layer will minimise further mould, lichen, algae or moss from forming on your timber.

Most decks have both types of stains.

Existing timber traps a lot of surface contaminants such as grease, bird droppings, tracked dust and dirt, pollen drift, road grime, organic matter that deposits oil residue (leaves, blossoms, twigs, etc), ‘rusty’ water from rusting deck fixtures, garden chemical overspray, and more.

New timber can have mill glaze or contaminants picked up during shipping or storage.

The list of stuff your timber is exposed to is almost endless, depending on where you live. There’s salt spray near the ocean, airborne fungal spores in tropical areas, pollution-bearing rain in big cities that is contaminated with sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides, roof water runoff leaching heavy metals and VOCs, agricultural pesticides in farming areas, micro plastics, and even iron-rich sand in outback areas. We could literally go on for pages.

Equisol Pro E365 is a penetrating oil that allows timber to breathe and let water in and out. It is not a film, so it doesn’t act as a ‘plastic’ coating that contaminants sit on top of.

Even a deck with a film coating can let many of these contaminants penetrate into the deck, especially if the film coating is failing or cracked. Often decks have had multiple finishes under the film coating as well, such as old oil, which many cleaners cannot remove.

In short, your timber deck is a giant petrie dish, and there is no way of knowing exactly what is on, or in, there! 

One simple cleaner will not remove everything. Every woman who has ever cleaned makeup off her face will tell you that!

Faced with this uncertainty about what you are actually cleaning off your timber, using both an acid and and alkali-based will always remove more.

It’s time to get technical.

Alkali cleaner or acid cleaner?

A good rule of thumb is alkali cleaners remove acid-based stains, and acid cleaners remove alkali-based stains. Basically, use the opposite PH of your stain.

Alkaline cleaners generally remove oil-based stains through saponification, which breaks down the bonds within oils and fats.

Equisol Prime, with an alkaline pH will help remove oil-based marks on timber, like:

• BBQ fats
• Grease
• Bird droppings
• Pet faeces
• Old decking oil
• Tannins
• Food and beverage spills, such as wine, coffee and juice
• Organic residues, such as dirt, mould stains, plant matter, leaf marks, sap stains, etc
• Motor oils

Acidic cleaners break down and dissolve the mineral compounds in inorganic stains.

Equisol Vitalise, with an acid pH will help remove mineral-based marks on timber, like:

• Inorganic deposits
• Pool chemical build up
• Iron oxide stains (rust, also known as black stains)
• Efflorescence (salt-based deposits)
• Limescale (calcium-based deposits)
• Hard water (high mineral deposits)
• Salt, including coastal salt spray
• Starch-based stains
• Soap scum

The above is not a complete list, nor is it absolute. There are some items that fall into either category or move between them based on their PH level. Pet wee (uric acid) and some oils including vegetable, cooking and petroleum oils can be either acidic or alkaline, and require a combination of cleaners.

Most cleaning/brightening solutions on the market are oxalic acid-based, and excellent at removing a lot of the dirt on your deck. They also brighten the timber again so it looks fresher.

But some of the more gnarly contaminants require an alkali-based cleaner, like grease, BBQ fats, old oil, and tannins caught in the timber.

Wherever possible we recommend using them both, because we simply don’t know what is on the timber, or even sub-surface, that cannot be seen.

Sure, you can use just one and plenty of people opt for only the oxalic acid, but why would you leave stuff trapped under your new deck coating or oiling? It’s just going to reduce your coating’s effectiveness at protecting your timber, and increase the chances of timber decay. Plus, your maintenance cycle will be shorter. It’s kind of a lose-lose-lose.

The best timber longevity is all in the preparation and a combination of the two cleaners is optimum to remove as much as possible so you can enjoy your timber deck for many years to come.

• 200m² deck in spotted gum 140mm x 19mm boards.
• Installed 12 months ago.
• A competing brand was applied six times within 12 months by the owner at great expense.
• Mould present, causing blackening of timber.
• Deck looked unsightly and unfinished, detracting from the multi-million dollar home.

Equisol Null killed the mould before a complete deck restoration

• A complete clean, strip of oils and prep was required to get the deck in shape for oil coating:
• Applied Equisol Null and left on timber for 24 hours to kill mould and algae in deep rooted spores.
• Powerwashed the deck to remove dead mould and algae and residual dirt.
• Equisol Prime was then applied to remove previous failed timber oil and washed off.
• Applied Equisol Vitalise to brighten timber ready for oiling.
• Sanded dry deck surface with Polyvac 60grit to smooth surface after powerwashing.
• Applied Equisol Null for the second time, leaving the Null on the timber as a sterilising agent to prevent further mould infestation.
• Applied two coats of Equisol ProE365 with a colour tone to match timber colour.

Restored deck

Mould removed and a newly oiled finish.

Penetrating oils such as Equisol Pro E365 are designed to penetrate into the timber, giving your exterior decking protection. It will minimise cracking and warping. This gives your deck a longer lifespan.

Fixing a cracked and warped deck can be costly. Reapplying a stain is generally just a maintenance issue with a relatively small outlay.

If you find that the colour is no longer to your liking, and you want to re-stain, you need to prepare your timber to be able to receive more oil. Too much oil in the timber results in the oil sitting on the surface with less than desirable results. Too much dirt or contaminants on the deck surface from weather and traffic will restrict the oil and the colour from penetrating. Instructions on how to recoat timber are available here.

“Is my deck still protected when the colour fades?”

Yes! It’s important to remember that colour and protection are two different things. A faded and grey deck with oil applied in the last 12 months is still very well protected against the elements.

“How long before I can expect fading on my timber deck?”

This will depend on the environment your timber is exposed to. Beachside decks, for example, will have a harder time keeping their colour compared to milder more sheltered climates.

The other factor is the type of timber you have used. Hardwoods hold colour longer than softwoods. A high grade, denser timber will also hold its colour longer.

How much rain you get is a big indicator as well. Heavy rainfall areas will experience a faster fade than dryer climates. It’s not always practical, but if you can, keep your deck under cover. This also helps protect it from environmental debris like bird droppings, tree sap etc etc.

“Which colours fade fastest?”

Dark brown on a light timber will fade faster than say pale brown on a pine. The bigger the difference in colour between the natural timber pigment and the colour tone, the bigger the movement in colour as time progresses.

“Will a decking paint achieve longer lasting results?”

A film forming coating may look good, but the timber underneath that paint or film can be experiencing all kinds of problems. Because of the coating, you won’t be aware of it until it’s too late. Paint is not 100% waterproof, and its porous nature will allow water to get into the timber and it is very difficult for it to escape – that means mould, mildew and rot for your deck. In addition, it’s impossible to paint every surface where a screw is penetrating the timber. So the deck has lots of vulnerability.

Poly-urethane coatings (known as film coatings) offer great protection but over time they become brittle from UV exposure and can no longer stretch and shrink with the timber as it experiences heat, cold and moisture. Eventually the film coat will crack, letting water in. That’s when the real damage begins, and the painful work of stripping and sanding off the failed coating.

The benefits of a penetrating oil is that it replenishes the timber with the oil and aids the longevity of the cells in the fibre. Timber is a natural product, and is naturally geared to decompose over time. The penetrating oil extends the life of timber by offering it ongoing stability to prevent cracking, warping, splitting and so on. If you keep up your maintenance, your decking will last a long time.

“What can I do to make my deck stain lasts longer?”

• Don’t clean your deck with domestic cleaning products intended for floor or driveways. These often have caustic chemicals or bleaching agents which will fade the pigments in the stain and also the timber. Generally they are also bad for timber.
• Wash your deck regularly with a specially formulated deck cleaner (weekly or bi-weekly). This helps to keep acidic bird and animal droppings and sap away from the timber, as well as dirt that can get ground in through traffic wearing away at your timber.
• Choose a stain that suits your timber. If you aren’t sure, ask an expert.
• Build your deck under a roof, if you can. This offers protection from the unforgiving UV of the Aussie sun.
• When applying the oil and stain, make sure you have prepped the timber appropriately. Don’t take short cuts, and follow manufacturer’s instructions to the letter.
• Keep a diary of when your deck should expect a recoat. Monitor the timeline across the years and you will start to understand the needs of your exterior timber better. New decks need a few frequent re-oils to build up the oils inside the timber. Your deck may need recoating every 10 months if you are in an extremely harsh environment or have a huge dirt load on the deck.

Put those matches down mate!

New timber is not new plastic. You can’t just take it out of its wrapping and bingo, you’re all done. A quick rinse and off you go!

Timber is a natural substance, and within the timber there is a natural chemical called Tannin. Tannin is a natural extract found in many types of wood, and when it leaches out, it can cause unsightly stains on surfaces, discolouration, and even affect the surrounding environment. It’s darker and richer in some timbers, lighter in others.

Tannins are water-soluble polyphenols found in various plant species, including trees used for timber production such as merbau, blackbutt, western red cedar, and tallowwood. These compounds serve several purposes for plants, including protection against insects, fungi, and UV radiation. However, when timber is exposed to moisture, tannins can dissolve and migrate to the surface, leading to undesirable staining.

Once you’ve laid the timber and exposed it to the elements, within only a few weeks you will start to see tannin leach out and leave a bit of a mess on surrounding concrete or pavers. A lot of people think that this colour run is from the coating that’s been applied. It’s not the oil coating that is sliding off the timber. It’s tannin from deep within the timber.

That’s why you need to remove tannin before your coat the timber. Without using a specialised formula to draw the tannin out of the timber before you coat it, you will experience this leaching for quite some time. It makes a mess and is hard to clean off concrete and pavers.

Check out this awesome article by logic-bespoke https://logic-bespoke.com/timber-leaching-and-tannins/

As they say, tannins, because of the structure of the fibres in timber, leach most from the cut ends of the wood. So you will see the colour running particularly on the short cut edges.

Timbers that offer amazing performance for decking, such as Merbau, are also known for their heavy tannin content.

This is why Equisol developed Equisol Prime to extract tannins from the timber prior to coating. Using Prime offers a superior result especially if your decking timber is new.

How to fix a deck that has been oiled, and is leaching tannin?

• Clean with Equisol Prime.
• Clean with Equisol Vitalise.
• Let dry.
• Sand down surface to smooth timber from powerwashing
• Recoat with Equisol Pro E365 and Colour Tone.

A couple of useful tips from our experts…

• Pay particular attention to cleaning the sawn ends. This is where a high concentration of tannin will leach from.
• Always follow the instructions exactly as written on the label. Short cuts equal shoddy jobs.
• Use both Prime and Vitalise on new timber decks. Then coat with Equisol Pro E365.

However after a wet autumn and a cool winter, you may be starting to witness the accumulation of mould, algae, dirt and stains and your deck is not the shining glory it once was! It’s time to think about doing some annual maintenance. Annual maintenance is essential to preserve the life of the timber. The best time to recoat your deck is spring. Lower humidity and less chance of rain while the oil is drying makes this season ideal for a little elbow grease and showing your deck some love!

Before recoating, take the time to clean your deck with Vitalise. This product has been designed to remove ingrained dirt from general traffic, dust, bird and bat droppings etc. If you notice mould developing in shady areas, use Null to kill the mould down to its spores.

Once your deck is clean, you can recoat with Equisol Pro Advanced Timber Stabilizing Oil. You have the option to recoat with a colourtone in the oil as well, if you want to rejuvenate the colouring. Colour lightening from the sun is normal over a period of time, so if your deck was dark rich tones, it will certainly benefit from Colourtone application.

HANDY TIPS…

• If you can, avoid using a high pressure cleaner, please do. The high pressure roughens the timber and you will end up needing to sand it smooth again. In most situations, a standard water hose on a jet spray is enough to get the Vitalise (and the lifted dirt) rinsed off.
• Don’t forget the timber ends. We see this time and again where the cut ends have not been coated, and this is precisely where trouble starts. Do the ends.
• Use a clean brush for cutting in the edges and a clean roller for doing the large flat surfaces.

This deck is located in Doonan. Built with spotted gum, 140mmx22mm boards. The decking boards were precoated with Equisol Pro E365 Advanced Timber Stabilising Oil.

After 14 months the deck was inspected and showed the usual signs of dirt, and some fading due to environmental exposure. The timber was straight, level, decay free and in excellent condition.

Routine maintenance was undertaken using EQUISOL’s unique 2 stage timber prep system, using PRIME. The deck was washed and then VITALIZE was applied to remove old colour and brighten timber. The surface was lightly sanded with 120grit Polyvac to smooth timber fibres lifted from washing process. Two coats of EQUISOL Pro E365 was applied to the cleaned deck.

With regular maintenance this deck will exhibit great wear and extend the value of the owner’s investment.

The Dark Deck

Black colour tone on timber decking (sometimes referred to as Japanese black) and exterior timber has been one of our most popular trends this year. The result is a standout deck that shows minimal dirt.  You can achieve this look by using Equisol’s Black Colour Tone and Equisol Pro E365. Over time and depending on exposure to the elements, this colour will fade slightly and soften to a dark grey. Some people love the natural softening of this look, but if you want to keep your deck at its darkest, recoating annually with Equisol and the black colour tone will bring it back to its former impressive status. Unlike a painted black coating, the black penetrates the timber and does not create a super heated surface in summer. For inspiration, have a look at the black colour trends featured here.

The Grey Deck

You’ll see grey decks in virtually every Architectural home design magazine. The soft suede-like grey looks amazing in hinterland and beach settings. It compliments buildings with large floor to ceiling glass doors providing a softer transition to the outdoors. As opposed to a bleached and grey badly weathered timber, the grey colour tone is luxuriously rich in colour. (Don’t get it confused with a neglected aesthetic.) It’s definitely on trend and a high-end finish. You can achieve the grey with Equisol’s Grey Colourtone on both Spotted Gum and Blackbutt, two of Australia’s most popular exterior timbers.

The Natural Deck

Natural colour trends for decking brings out the beauty of the timber’s features whilst keeping the decking nourished and in good condition. Perfect for an eco-themed design. Even though it looks beautiful, uncoated timber doesn’t weather very well. Applying Equisol’s E365 penetrating oil allows the timber to be protected from the elements without altering the glamorous look of an uncoated finish. This approach can also be used for outdoor furniture or exterior timber wall features. We have even used Equisol on the surface timber of luxury yachts. The penetrating oil sinks into the timber allowing it to breathe. This enables a longer lifespan for your exterior surface and maintains a deck which is beautiful to walk on.

Here are our top tips for keeping your Australian deck in excellent condition.

1. Determine what kind of product was used on your deck previously.
If your deck has been coated with an oil based product it will not be shiny or appear to have a film on the surface. It may be looking dry and water soaks into the timber. If your timber is no longer beading then it is not water repellent. Water will start penetrating and decaying the timber.
If your deck has had a polyurethane coating, it may be appear hazy with cracks in the film or film lifting/peeling. This surface is not compatible with penetrating oils and will need to be removed completely prior to coating. This coating usually needs to be stripped and sanded.

2. Sand the deck if there is cracked/weathered timber.
Penetrating oils will not smooth the surface of your timber, and are usually designed to enhance the beauty of the grain. Do the work and get that deck as smooth as possible. You won’t regret it! If your deck is large, we recommend hiring professional sanding equipment to do the job.

3. Make sure all sanding dust is removed by sweeping/vacuuming and hosing off.

4. Clean your deck with Equisol Vitalise.
Bird and bat droppings, grease and food stains from barbeques, dust and dirt are the enemies of a good looking deck. These stains need to be removed with a timber cleaner such as Equisol Vitalise. The ingredients in our cleaners lift dirt and old colour out of the timber to create a surface ready to receive its nourishing coating of Equisol Pro E365.

5. Wait until dry and apply one coat of Equisol Pro E365 with a professional applicator tool.

6. Once dry (24hrs) inspect your deck. Do not apply more than two coats.