Finished Decking

[chrispriddyuk]

Hi
Ive just finished a decking project, and finished it by coating the boards with decking protector oil.

My question is :
Is it safe to put things like, metal BBQ feet on the deck and just leave them, or will the metal react with the wood (like it would with our oak worktops?)
What is the long term effect of putting some larger plant pots on the deck, will the water that might slowly drain out of the bottom of the pot do any damage to the wood - staining it or meaning that we could never move them because the deck would look sill with a stained patch?

Any advice?

Thanks
chris

 

[nthused]

I built some decking for the in-laws a few years ago. We used decking oil to finish the deck, however, regardless of what product you use the deck will weather and fade -and anything coverering up the surface, such as a plant pot, will cause less fading.

They had a patio heater that they kept on the deck for around 12 months. When they removed it there was distinct circle where the decking hadn't been subjected to the elements.

So, even if you didn't have the problem with water running from the bottom of the pots and contact with metal, you would still get the fading effect of the sun. Of course, the only way to avoid this is to move the items around on a regular basis, but you might soon get fed up with this....