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Having a deck is a low-cost way of adding additional living space to your home. With a deck, you can enjoy being outside day or night, entertain guests, or experience outdoor dining. The only problem with a deck is that it often gets damaged due to the weather. It’s important that you maintain your deck to prevent discoloration and damage to the surface of the wood. You should take the time to inspect your deck once a year and provide the appropriate level of maintenance depending on the condition of your deck.
You should always inspect your deck before you do any maintenance. This should typically be done every year or two. During your inspection, you want to look for loose boards, any protruding nails, or any general damage to the wood on your deck. You should clear the deck of any furniture or plants. Sweep the deck of any large debris before moving on to cleaning your deck.
Some solutions can be applied using a brush or even a power washer. The advantage of using a cleaning solution with chemicals is that you’ll have to do a lot less scrubbing to remove debris from the deck. Make sure that after applying any cleaning solution, that you always rinse the deck with your hose.
Before you apply any sealant to the deck make sure that it is dry. Make sure that you put a tarp over any plans or surfaces that you do not want to damage. Sometimes stain has a little bit of color to it and will stain objects or kill plants. Sometimes, you can apply sealants with a brush or use a spray type application. Spraying is a little harder to control, however it is a lot quicker.
After the sealant process, you are ready to paint or stain your deck. A lot of people choose to use a light and clear stain finish to help show the natural beauty of the wood. You really want something that absorbs into the wood. Heavy filmed paints are not necessarily good for a wood deck, because they create surface film that can easily peel or come off. The best finishes that you can get for your deck actually absorb into the wood.
Now that you know more about deck maintenance, you can take the appropriate steps to make sure that your deck is in good condition. Always make sure that you inspect your deck to look for damage or decide whether or not it needs further maintenance work to be done. Every couple of years, you’ll need to seal and stain your deck to prevent damage from the sun and the weather. If you further questions, read our decking FAQ’s post for more info.