Short answer: In our comparative test, after one year we could neither see nor feel any clear difference between a deck treated with VästerbottensSoapa and a deck treated with traditional deck oil.

There is a common belief that deck oil protects the wood so effectively that the difference only becomes clear after one or more years. To investigate this, we conducted a simple comparative test under real outdoor conditions.

 

 

How the test was conducted

We have a pressure-treated deck, a few years old, at the entrance to our offices, which we used as the test area.

The deck was divided into two equally sized sections.

• One half was treated with VästerbottensSoapa.
• The other half was treated with traditional deck oil according to the manufacturer's instructions.

After treatment, the deck remained outdoors for approximately one year and was exposed to normal Swedish weather, including sunlight, rain, temperature fluctuations, and natural wear. No additional treatment was carried out during the test period.

After one year, the result was documented with photographs and video.

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The right side is oiled; the left side has been scrubbed with soap.

After one year, it looks like this:

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Results after one year

When the deck was compared after approximately twelve months, we could not see any clear visual difference between the soap-treated and oiled sections.

Nor could we feel any clear difference in the surface texture when touching it.

In this test, there was therefore no measurable or obvious advantage to the oiled surface compared with the soap-scrubbed surface after one year of normal outdoor exposure.

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What does the test show?

The test shows that the claimed long-term effect of deck oil was not visible in this particular test after one year of use and exposure to the weather.

This does not mean that deck oil can never affect the properties or lifespan of wood. However, in this practical comparative test, we could not observe any clear difference between the treatments after one year.

It is therefore difficult to claim, based on our observations, that the oiled section was in better condition than the soap-scrubbed section.

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Limitations of the test

To provide a fair picture, it is important to describe the scope of the test.

This is a practical comparative field test, not an accredited laboratory test.

The test included:

• one small pressure-treated deck
• two different treatment methods
• approximately one year of outdoor exposure
• documentation with photographs and video
• visual and tactile assessments

We did not analyze the wood's moisture content, strength, chemical changes, or biological degradation.

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Frequently asked questions

Is a soap-scrubbed deck lighter than an oiled deck immediately after treatment?

Yes. Immediately after treatment, the oiled section became darker, while the soap-scrubbed section retained a lighter wood appearance.

Is the difference visible after one year?

In our test, we could not see any clear difference between the surfaces after approximately one year.

Did the surfaces feel different?

Not after one year of exposure. In our assessment, there was no clear difference in feel between the soap-scrubbed and oiled sections.

Does the test prove that deck oil has no effect?

No. The test only shows that no clear difference could be observed in this specific comparative test after one year of normal outdoor exposure.

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Conclusion

In this practical comparative test, two sections of the same pressure-treated deck were treated using different methods: VästerbottensSoapa and traditional deck oil, respectively. After approximately one year outdoors, we could neither see nor feel any clear difference between the surfaces. This means that the protective properties often attributed to deck oil were not visible under the conditions covered by the test.