After you’ve done the hard work of replacing your deck boards, sanding, power washing, and then staining your deck, you’ll want to maintain your deck’s new youthful appearance, don’t you? So here are 4 quick Deck tips that will keep you barbecuing and lounging in the sun for months without worry.
Maintain Your Deck with a Thorough Cleaning
Your first step to maintain your deck is to give it a good deep clean about once a year. This will prolong the life of the wood.
You can scrub a good deck cleaning solution into the wood with a coarse brush. Then, follow that up with a good rinse using a high-pressure hose or pressure washer.
Use the pressure washer, sparingly, though. Incorrect usage of these washers can damage the wood. Get some pressure washing tips at Family Handyman. If you need help with deck cleaning and power washing, Odd Job is here to help.
Don’t Use Chlorine Bleach on Your Deck
There are numerous deck cleaning solutions available, from the specially formulated to all-natural concoctions. None of them, however, contain chlorine bleach. This is because bleach can strip the natural colour off of the wood, and damage its internal structure. So if you want your deck to look newer longer, stay from away from the stuff. There are also many homemade pressure washer detergent recipes you can look into that work great!
Perform Light Deck Cleaning Regularly
Your job isn’t done after the big, thorough wash. You need to clean your deck regularly of the small bits of dirt and grime that can build up and damage your deck overtime. Things like leaves, tree branches and twigs, or puddles of rain water or snow can cause lasting damage if they’re not removed regularly. And this includes the off-season, too: winter can be the most damaging time for a deck.
Check For Deck Rot at Least Once a Year
Check your deck supports and ledger for signs of wood rot (the ledger is the part of the deck that attaches to your house). You can check for rot by pushing a flathead screwdriver into the wood. If you can get the screwdriver to penetrate about half a centimeter or more into the wood, you might have rot. Get your deck inspected by a professional, ASAP! Deck rot can lead to a collapse if left unchecked.
When Things Fall Apart
Even with regular maintenance, a deck will still suffer light wear and tear. But don’t worry, because there’s always your friendly neighborhood Odd Job Handyman to help you sand and stain, replace old boards, and repair your deck stairs. Click here for all of the different ways we can help you maintain your deck: Deck Maintenance Services.
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