Best decking oil [UK]: Top decking treatment like Liberon, Cuprinol, Ronseal, and Sadolin compared

Unusually for me when it comes to treatments, preservatives, or paints I will kick off with a Ronseal or Cuprinol product as they are generally the best. And to be fair they are the best, not just a bias, but the Decking Oil 25 Litre 25l Clear Softwood Treatment from RYE OIL LTD is just too cheap to ignore for the reasonable high quality. It doesn’t flake or peel, I haven’t found any blistering issues either. So all good and definitely worth a look

If you’ve ever heard ‘Oil is oil’, that saying is absolute rubbish just so you know, there are plenty of other oils for decking with a lot thinner in viscosity and charging far more per litre! What you can expect from this oil is a lovely shine, a golden shine at that, and no peeling or fading. A genuinely good product and it dries a slightly clean tan colour which is priceless information (how many times have I been disappointed by the colour oil dries in the past?):

So thanks for sharing this S Goddard and here’s another lovely example:

Now I know many like a modern black or slate grey finish for their ultra modern home, but to me this is how decking should look. What a lovely golden shine.

In terms of application you’ll need to do all the usual prep work and cleaning first. The better the prep, the better the finish and that applies to all oils in this review. You can read above for the correct prep for oil decking. I would say you’ll get a solid 80-100m2 out of a 25 litre container. This assumes a couple of decent coats and you’ll want to apply it with a reasonable size brush, I think a 2 and a half inch is about perfect, three gets a bit gloopy, four is miles overkill. A 2 and a half inch brush lets you have a bit of control and lay on this oil neatly. Leet your first coat really soak in. Then lay on another and let that dry. It’ll take time, it’s oil after all but the results are worth it.

Pros:

• Excellent value for money
• Quality oil with decent viscosity
• Doesn’t flake or peel
• Applies beautifully with a decent two inch plus brush
• Will absorb deep into timber in the right conditions I’ve explained

Cons:

• Wants a few days to set thoroughly

It didn’t take long did it? 😀 Here we are with old trusty Ronseal – the Ultimate Protection Decking Oil. It’s a bit of a presumptuous name, but then, if I was making such a super product then I would also be quite within my rights to show off too! I reviewed this first time about three years ago. Nothing has changed, it’s still the best decking oil on the market. As I mentioned earlier, they are also making the best decking stain and best decking cleaner too. Arguably they are making the best fence paint as well. They are really working had on timber protection in the garden and around the home. The research and development is paying off to the point I sway from Ronseal to Cuprinol being the best, rather than just flat out answering Cuprinol. It’s getting closer everyday!

Here’s the first thing I’d do after buying Ronseal Ultimate Protection Decking Oil – a test patch. Not rocket science is it? Oils always dry up difference and you can never truly trust them until they dry. I’d say this particular oil dries very light. Here’s an example from someone that used it on their decking entirely:

In terms of application you follow that golden rule of bone dry and a very nice day as you want the oil to absorb deep into the timber so forget the rainproof in 90 minutes gimmick – if you think rains a couple of hours away shelve this project. Then give it a good few hours to dry, the manufacturer recommends four, and lay on your second coat. I think at a push you can get two coats of about 20m2 out of a 5 litre tin but all really depends on how much oil you can get in your timber.

When I compare it to the first pick which was value, I definitely prefer the lighter look myself when compared but that certainly is a personal preference thing.

Pros:

• High quality oil
• Leaves a light golden shine
• Pretty well priced
• Brushes on lovely

Cons:

• Other oils give far more coverage per pound

Next up is the age old trusted Liberon DOCL5L Decking Oil. Hard to pick a fault with Liberon decking oil if I’m honest. What you get is quality from Liberon every time. It’s one of the most directly searched decking oils online. And that’s no surprise when you look at the quality of the deep oily finish it leaves. It’s nice and full like the first pick in this article when compared. It’s not a light golden or yellow. I first discovered this product back in 2016, and then shortly reviewed it later in 2018. Nothing has changed in those three years – it’s still easily one of the best decking oils out there. And that’s not the grand sum of Liberon’s history by the way, these guys have been in business making oils for wood for over 100 years! One word comes to mind: assurance.

The best reason to use Liberon other than the super quality is just how easy it is to apply. You can normally do a whole patio in a few hours. The next best bit is you’ll have a golden shine for a whole year and only need to lay on one more coat to get things back up to scratch. If you follow that pattern your decking will look brand new for as long as you can keep up the maintenance. You could potentially go a couple of summers but why bother when this can be laid on in no time at all?

The manufacturer reckons you can get nearly 50m2 out of a single 5l can. I have to say that is at best hopeful. Especially if you’ve really dried out your decking, or it’s the first treatment. At two coats that suggests you can get 25m2 out of one tin. When I used this a while back I did a 14m2 deck area and had a bit left in the bottom of the tin. Applying it was probably the best bit though – because of the ability to re-coat quickly (manufacturer says 15 mins), I left it about an hour between I had that decking all sown up in a morning and was ready for the deck chair the very next day. So when you compare it to Ronseal in terms of getting the job done, Liberon is much more favourable.

One thing you’ll notice is the busier areas will fade first, sorry for pointing out the obvious but it was more in relation to the manufacturer comments with regards to UV filters – you have no worry at all about this product failing through sunlight, the wear and tear is the only issue with oils. Wood has naturally occurring oils which seep out – as will this oil, or any other you choose from the review for that matter.

Pros:

• Very easy and fast process to apply this decking oil
• Super easy to re-coat
• Excellent value for money
• Top rated product all over the internet for years
• Trusted brand

Cons:

• Hard to pick fault but you could argue ‘expensive up front’

The Cuprinol 5122415 Uv Guard Decking Oil is just another quality product. You can be absolutely sure of the quality of this oil – absolute top quality, it that old game, whatever Ronseal do, Cuprinol try to do better and vice versa, fighting hard for our custom. And the big winner is us. When you compare al decking oils, if not for the age old quality of Liberon it would again be the game of Ronseal vs Cuprinol and a couple of brands doing their best to offer a mid range product at super value for money (that’s exactly the situation for decking stain and decking paint by the way).

When this product first fell in my hands some years ago I was impressed, but back when I was younger this used to be solvent based and practically bullet proof – you can thank the EU for that change! 😀 It still appears to be the same formula and gives the same beautiful deep shine. The Natural oak clear version in this review gives that slightly dark and rugged shine I love. You get that from Liberon and the first pick when comparing finishes. The Ronseal in this review is much lighter but check the pictures I provide on the links to be sure and always do a test patch, you never know what odd ball your random batch of oil or how your specific timber will react with it.

As usual though, Cuprinol are always trying to steal the edge: the have included anti fungal chemicals in their formula, it contains Benzisothiazolone and as a result theres a much longer list of safety warnings when compared to other decking oils. Personally this is my favourite but it’s not the cheapest – Cuprinol reckon you can get 40m2 but as with all other oils in this review I feel these numbers are stretched. You’ll need longer to apply it as well. It’ll take about six hours to dry bu just like all oils is very dependant on how warm and how much sunlight. You can re-coat as soon as the first layer is absorbed. Don’t get all rushed though. You don’t want this treatment to start pooling or it’ll take an age to set/absorb.

Overall it’s a cracking product and the one I’d like to use the most:

Pros:

• Sensibly priced for what it is
• Anti fungal so will protect longer term
• Applies easily with a brush or roller
• Lovely sheen

Cons:

• Many don’t get the recommended coverage from a tin

On the surface Osmo Decking Oil Anti-Slip-Clear 2.5 Litre 430D looks expensive, but if I told you it’l give half the coverage as the first pick which is 25 litres you would be surprised. The truth is a little goes a long way with this product. Some get as much as 50m2 with two coats and still remark how well waterproofed their decking is.

When you look at the finish you can’t help but feel this is going to be sub standard, however when you really get into this product you realise it’s the real deal. The anti sip formula really is anti slip, you’ll notice the difference day one when its wet, just how much more effective this is. The clear satin look is lovely too. You’ll definitely want that test patch though to make sure its the finish you’re looking for. Apart from that you can expect a decent bit of protection from dirt and grime too. It’s formula will give a decent wearing finish.

Obviously application of such a thin oil is insanely easy. You’ll shoot around your deck with a pad in practically no time at all.

Given it doesn’t flake or blister it’s definitely earnt it’s place on the review list but you do have to question is it better than good old Liberon or Ronseal when you compare the costs and thickness of finish carefully?

Pros:

• Looks stunning
• Huge coverage per tin
• So quick to apply

Cons:

• Expensive
• Some reports of total failure protecting

New to the list is the Creosote Creocote Substitute. I am forever using this to treat my sheds – if you check my article on how to clean up a shed, you’ll see exactly the finish you can get and the trade are using them so I think it’s a good shout to bring them into the reviews too!

This is a particularly good value decking oil – no thrills. A nice finish and you can see water beading after 2/3 coats. The manufacturer recommends two but I noticed this seems to dry much much better with a thing coat – so three thinner coats works much better than two stodgy thick ones.

The result is a beautiful deep golden protection. That’s actually not why this made it onto the best decking oil picks though – the real reason is the price – it’s an absolute bargain for deck oil and actually works! If you consider the price of your Cuprinol and Ronseal, this is about a third of the cost so a real steal! Here’s a look at before:

The finish is quoted as matt and I think that’s fair, it’s not one of those really highly glazed looks you can get from decking finishes. The water beads off no problem and a year on it still doesn’t need work – I reckon I’ll get three years out of that even though the sun beams straight at it!

In application terms you can use a garden sprayer – but be warned, put some sheeting down, that method is definitely messy and you want to protect your lungs too ( I didn’t feel great after one whiff and quickly pulled out the mask) – in hindsight, and next time, I’ll probably use a soft broom or brush, it’s strong stuff and obviously that translates into serious protection but be prepared for the smell.

Next on the list is Nourish & Protect DOCL005 Clear 5 L Decking Oil. This is a cracking deck oil clear version that protects and penetrates wood deep. Once you’ve laid on two coats and it’s dry, water will just sit on top and cannot get into your decking at all. That’s no gimmick sales patter, this is a top notch product and you may not be aware but Barrettine are a commercial product manufacturer and supply many of the quality wood preservatives and sealants directly to trade. You name it, they make it, from linseed oil putty to mastic. In general their products are top notch and they have an excellent reputation for sensible pricing and value so you can buy with confidence. The fact this product is rated 4.8 on Amazon makes it the highest voted decking oil overall in the UK!

Being genuinely oil based it’ll really suck into your timber when applied, so don’t rely on much more than 4m2 per lire with two coats. It’s much like the Ronseal when you compare them, you’ll get a solid 20m2 out of a tin but comes with the added benefit of having a fungicide like Cuprinol to repel organic growth – you essentially get the best of Ronseal and Cuprinol rolled into one – and that is exactly why this product is so high rated even with a higher price tag than both these competitors.

The last piece of good news is the different colours – follow this link and you’ll be able to find the colour you’re looking for, be it lighter or darker. However, don’t trust in the picture on the product, still give yourself a chance  of maintaining sanity and do a test patch 😀

Drying time is pretty sensible. Touch dry won’t take long at all if your timber was bone dry, but give it 24 hours after the last coat before you walk on it or put anything heavy down. It seems to darken a little for the first few days but brightens up as it fully cures.

Pros:

• Super quality decking oil
• Doesn’t flake
• Anti fungal preserver
• Long lasting quality finish
• Leaves an excellent finish on timber

Cons:

• Pricey

For the last review I decided to throw in a another wildcard value for money option. The Decking Oil Clear Matt Finish UV Guard from Smith and Allan has some excellent reviews online with regards to the quality of sheen and depth of finish. There’s also been plenty of chatter with regards to being nicely waterproof and the formula is genuinely oil based which is another bonus – to top that they also have a fungicide. It shows all the signs of a quality decking oil, just like the Ronseal option.

You can expect a slightly darker look for the first few days so don’t panic whilst it’s drying – it’ll eventually come up much clearer and shinier.

Seeing as I know cases from a couple of years now using this oil, I’d say it’s not a bad punt if you want a decent oil at very sensible money. In terms of value it is almost like for like when compared to the first pick with the litre cost being the same as well as the amount of coverage. This isn’t a bad shout at all, if you’re willing to take a punt then you’l get a bargain – I guarantee you won’t be buying this container for anywhere near the same price next year once this seller is established on Amazon.

Pros:

• Great value
• Quality anti fungus properties
• Easy to apply and can be thinned for a garden sprayer
• Oil based
• Waterproof

Cons:

• Relative unknown so a bit of a punt