Stainless steel ballustrade wire.

[alchemysa]

The deck, posts and handrail were installed by a carpenter but I installed the wire myself. Thank heavens I had the wire pre-swaged. This only cost about an extra $5 per strand, and not only is it much neater because it eliminates a thimble and swage at each end, it saved me about 3 days work and worry. (I didnt realise until after that if I'd tried to do the swaging myself I would have had to swage it AFTER it was threaded through the post holes. It would have been a really tedious job). Pre-swaging cost me about $250 extra but a good swaging tool would have cost about $100 anyway. So in hindsight the extra $150 it cost for pre-swaging was a bargain. All I had to do was measure each length nice and accurately. One turnbuckle on each length provided enough adjustment, except for the longest side (13 metres) which has a turnbuckle at each end.

I had no real problems except the wood I was drilling into was extremely hard and I snapped a few stainless steel screws.

I think it looks good. It doesn't block the view and it was much cheaper than getting a fully timbered fence around the deck. Hopefully it will stand up to the sea air.

For anyone in Australia, I can recommend this mob...
All Things Stainless - Home

We also got some 'oil' onto the deck and rail. Its a product called Cabots AquaDeck. Its a relatively new product. A 'water based oil'. I've only got one coat on so far. It'll need at least 1 more.

 

[VABlue]

It looks good - both the stainless wire and the deck stain color. The whole place is looking good!

I'm preparing to stain my deck this coming weekend, I'll be using Cabot's 'Naturals' stain in 'heartwood' color. I sampled two colors of Australian Timber Oil (also from Cabot). It's not as opaque as I wanted, but looks better than the other stain colors. I'll just redo it a year, or two, earlier!

 

[alchemysa]

II'm preparing to stain my deck this coming weekend, I'll be using Cabot's 'Naturals' stain in 'heartwood' color. I sampled two colors of Australian Timber Oil (also from Cabot). It's not as opaque as I wanted, but looks better than the other stain colors. I'll just redo it a year, or two, earlier!

I investigated mixing my own oil. (I think 'cracked' linseed, turps, and mildew preventative were the ingredients). But by the time I'd have bought enough to do two coats it wasnt a heck of a lot cheaper than this Aquadeck. And I'm hoping this will do a better job than home-made oil. Getting between the decking planks is difficult. I applied it to the deck with a wool pad. I hoped it might flow into the gaps a bit, but it didnt really. So theres still a lot of untreated wood that can soak up moisture, dry out, and cause cracking. I might put something in the degreasing gun on the compresser and try and spray in the gaps.

 

[DocHeb]

I really like the clean look of horizontal wires - it really lets you look through and see you estate, and whacks a bunch of maintainance issues.

You're lucky to be able to do that. There are code restrictions here that prohibit horizontal ballisters - too easy for kids to climb over. Nice job.

 

[WBWI]

Looks great! I was tempted to use ss cable or clear tempered glass balusters on my deck. In the end we used round powder coated aluminum spindles.

 

[alchemysa]

You're lucky to be able to do that. There are code restrictions here that prohibit horizontal ballisters - too easy for kids to climb over. Nice job.

We have that restriction for pool fencing but I haven't heard of it for balconies too.

 

[VABlue]

i "I might put something in the degreasing gun on the compresser and try and spray in the gaps."

Be plenty careful with that idea! I used a pump type sprayer to get the deck on my last house. I thought I had taped up enough plastic to cover all things vulnerable, but still ended up with stain specks on the vinyl siding. The wind had carried it much further than I thought it might go. Maybe try a good, thin brush to push it down between the boards?

 

[alchemysa]

i "I might put something in the degreasing gun on the compresser and try and spray in the gaps."

Be plenty careful with that idea! I used a pump type sprayer to get the deck on my last house. I thought I had taped up enough plastic to cover all things vulnerable, but still ended up with stain specks on the vinyl siding. The wind had carried it much further than I thought it might go. Maybe try a good, thin brush to push it down between the boards?

Point noted. But you've given me an idea. I hadnt thought of a pressure pump type of garden sprayer. If I had a low pressure in it I might be able to wet the gaps without making too much mess. It would be simpler than a compressor.

 

[DocHeb]

The low pressure garden sprayers are used by many of the deck refinishers in this area. They are mostly spraying cedar decks.