Tuesday, December 27, 2022
An outdoor deck can make your home and yard more enjoyable and can increase the resale value of your house when you want to sell it. But owning a deck comes with some responsibilities, especially the task of regular maintenance and upkeep. Outdoor decks are exposed to the air all year round. Rot, mold, and insect damage are more likely to occur on a wood deck.
Compared to wood decking, composite decking is easier to take care of. This is because composite decking boards are composed of recyclable plastic and wood flour. The performance advantage of the raw material represents that composite decking has good water-releasing and pest-control properties. On the other hand, since wood is a natural material, it may be more susceptible to weather and insects and can absorb more water.
But if you perform regular maintenance work, you can make your wood deck last longer. If you want your outdoor deck to look great and last a long time, regular maintenance and care are very important. Let’s go over how to do wood deck maintenance work in detail.
If you want to use your wood deck safely for more than a decade, it’s important to keep it in good condition. The North American Deck and Railing Association (NADRA) recommends that you should inspect your deck at least once a year to check it for rotten or decaying wood.
When you look at your outdoor deck, carefully and thoroughly inspect all areas, surfaces, and joists. Here’s a quick, do-it-yourself checklist of the best ways to maintain and inspect your deck each year.
For deck maintenance and upkeep, deck owners should check the nails or screws on the deck every so often to make sure they are still in good condition. It is especially important to check fasteners to ensure that outdoor decks and railings are not wobbly.
Ledger boards are one of the most important places to check to make sure your fasteners are in place. If your fasteners are not tight, your deck could pull away from the structure it is already standing on and fall over. Here’s a short checklist to make sure the fasteners on your deck are secure.
Even composite decking needs to be cleaned thoroughly. By cleaning your deck frequently and making sure it is free of debris and trash, you will not only keep it in good condition, but you will also make it a safer place to be. If you clean your outdoor deck regularly, mold and mildew can’t grow, and if left unchecked, it can lead to rot.
Here are some ways to clean and maintain your deck.
Staining and sealing your wood deck is an important part of deck maintenance. This should be done once a year to prevent rot and decay of the wood deck. There are a few key points to keep in mind when you are staining or sealing your deck.
The clear, water-resistant coating that can be applied to your wood deck is called a sealer. When it dries, it creates a “seal” between your deck and the outside world. This prevents water from entering and causing rot.
Deck stain is a solution with tints or pigments that can make a wood deck look better or change its color. Although many modern deck stains are designed to be waterproof, you should always check the label to make sure the deck stain is also a sealer.
If your deck stain does not come with a protective sealer, you will need to add an extra layer of sealer to finish your deck. This will keep the stain from wearing off in high-traffic areas and make your deck look uneven. More importantly, it will give your deck an added layer of water resistance, protecting it from water damage.
When applying sealer or stain, it’s best to do it when the weather is nice. Check the weather forecast ahead of time to make sure you can stain and seal your deck when the weather is dry. Rain or snow can ruin all your hard work!
Before staining or sealing your deck, don’t forget to read the stain and sealer manufacturer’s instructions for more information. Below we have listed things to keep in mind when staining and sealing your outdoor deck.
Wait for the deck to dry thoroughly after cleaning. If you have cleaned or washed the deck thoroughly, wait at least 48 hours. Make sure it has had enough time to dry before you stain or seal it. However, if your deck is in a shady part of the yard and doesn’t get much sunlight, you may have to wait a little longer for it to dry thoroughly before you stain or seal it.
Check the weather forecast. Remember to check the weather forecast before doing this maintenance work. to make sure there will be a drying period while you stain or seal the wood. If you want your stain and sealer to stick well, the best temperature is between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remove furniture from the deck. Remove any furniture, potted plants, or anything else that is on top of the deck before staining it. Stains or sealers can harm plants or furniture, so be sure to cover them and any nearby grass or shrubs with plastic sheeting, tarps, or garbage bags. If you have a raised deck, you can cover the ground underneath with a tarp to keep the stain or sealer from getting on your grass or anything else.
Sand the deck. This step is optional, but if you haven’t sanded your deck in a long time and there are many layers of sealer or stain on the surface, you should do it. Before you stain or seal your deck, you should sand it. This will help the stain or sealer adhere better. When you sand your deck, you can remove any old stain or sealer from the surface and smooth out any wood chips. Sand the surface of your deck with 80-grit sandpaper. You can make this easier by using a pole sander instead of sanding on your hands and knees.
Apply a stain or sealer to a clean deck. After sanding the deck, make sure you sweep away the dust and grit. To remove dust, you can sweep or use a hair dryer. Before staining or sealing your deck, make sure your deck is clean. This will help your stain or sealer stick to the outdoor deck and prevent any dirt or debris from being “sealed” in. Be careful not to use the hose to remove dirt! Before staining or sealing your deck, it needs to be dry.
Note: If the stain you want to use does not have a sealer built in, you will want to stain your deck first, then wait for the stain to dry before applying the sealer. Stain takes time to dry, so wait at least a full day before applying the sealer or moving the furniture back to the deck. If you need to apply a sealer over your stain, wait 24 hours before doing so. Then, let your sealer dry for another 24 to 48 hours before walking on your deck.
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