Got a wood deck at your house? If this is the case some basic upkeep is mandatory to keep it looking good. Additionally , certain things are required to prevent the wood from deteriorating.
Basic upkeep to ready your treated wood deck for Winter can help make sure it will endure the cold or snowy season. In addition, the proper care and upkeep will help to forestall the wood from splitting and warping in the hot Summer weather. Here are a number of tips:
Thoroughly clean the decking, posts and railings using a commercial cleaning product. A number of these can be sprayed on with a garden sprayer such as the ones used to spray weed killers and fertilizers.
- After the necessary amount of time (read the product label for directions) completely wash off the chemical cleaner. You will see that the wood is now brighter, cleaner and smoother than previously.
- At that point, it’s a good idea to check for nail heads popping up, loose or damaged boards, posts, and railings. Naturally you’ll be wanting to correct these things before proceeding.
- Now you have got a choice: you may either leave the freshly cleaned wood in a natural state, or you can apply a fresh coat of sealant or stain. Just be certain to follow the manufacturer’s directions.
A couple of words of caution about staining your deck… First, it’s not a simple task when you have got a lot of railings and balustrades to stain. Worse than this though, is the undeniable fact that once you stain it, you must have to continue to stain it from then on, because you can never really remove all the stain if you change your decision about it later on. The cause is that it soaks deep into the wood.
Which ever approach you take in the end, once you’ve completed the job, your decking will look good again, ready for your patio furniture, BBQ and other outdoor items to be replaced, and for you to enjoy Summer living again.
Anne Haswell is a freelance interior and exterior designer. She works closely with a company that provides PVC pipe patio furniture, and makes replacement cushions for all types of outdoor furniture styles and brands.



