With deck maintenance, a lot goes into the seemingly simple task of taking care of your deck. Simply cleaning it isn’t enough; a deck requires more than the occasional sweep to stay in top shape. Cleaning and maintaining your deck includes annual inspections, repairs, stains, sealing, and more. Below are common tips, tools, tricks, and practices for caring for and maintaining your deck.
Know The Deck
First, to take care of your deck, you should know a thing or two about how it was built and the proper tools needed to take care of it. A deck is made from various materials, including concrete, wood, composite, stone, asphalt, etc. To maintain a deck, you need to know the materials used to construct it. Most homeowners have either a wood or a composite deck, and there are similarities and differences in maintaining them.
<H2> Gather the supplies
To get the best solution for caring for your deck, you need the proper tools. Overall, it’s good to have these few items on hand:
- Power or Pressure washer
- Stain/Sealant
- Hose
- Broom and brush
- Paint scraper
- Deck cleaning solution (DIY or store-bought)
These are just some basics to prepare you for minor damage or regular maintenance throughout the season. For the most part, you can interchange some items for others, like a standard hose in place of a power washer and a DIY cleaning solution, compared to one bought and mixed at the store. It’s a good rule of thumb to stock up on these items and keep them stored away for a rainy day.
Conduct Annual Inspections
You need to conduct annual inspections to help keep your deck in optimal shape, healthy, and strong throughout the years. A yearly review includes a visual inspection, noting anything that has deteriorated or needs repair. The annual assessment is the best time to perform upkeep and maintenance, such as resealing your deck to waterproof it for the next season, enhancing faded deck colours by staining it, and replacing any broken or faulty deck boards. Maintaining and repairing your deck are key steps in taking care of it. Let’s dive into a checklist of items that may need your attention after the inspection.
Replace Faulty or Damaged Deck Boards
An integral part of caring for your deck is replacing and repairing damaged deck boards, whether on wood or composite decks. Not only does it keep your deck stable, but it’s also necessary to maintain the structure, stability, and safety of your deck. Some loose or damaged deck boards will appear off-kilter, but for the most part, take a quick physical examination. Walk around the deck, test the boards, and take note of where and how many need to be replaced. When the time comes, use a hammer to remove the board, cut and measure the replacement to the correct dimensions, and use a power drill or screwdriver to reinstall. This can be a good project for DIY enthusiasts or a quick job for professionals.
Time for Spring Cleaning
It doesn’t have to be spring to clean, but it should happen yearly. Consistently cleaning your deck at least once a year will help it maintain its beauty while fixing minor damage. Move your furniture, sweep away dirt and debris, use a scraper to remove gunk caught between the boards, and thoroughly hose everything down. This is the perfect time to use the deck-cleaning solution you made or bought to clean the deck boards.
Seal and Stain your Deck
If you have a wooden deck, sealing and staining it is critical. Decks that do not take these preventive measures are more susceptible to water and inclement-weather damage, which can erode deck boards over time. There is a difference between sealing and staining your deck, and some deck materials may require special sealants/stains. Here are the basic steps and supplies needed to complete this mandatory maintenance.
Step 1) Prepare your Deck: This ties into the above steps of cleaning and clearing your deck, but also has a timeline. It’s a good rule of thumb to allow new unsealed decks to withstand the weather for 60-90 days before sealing them. That way, you can see if it needs to be sealed or stained. Overall, wait up to 3 months before deciding if your deck needs to be sealed or stained.
Step 2) Sand down the Deck: Sanding the deck will remove any grime and grit, leaving it with a smooth, clean surface for applying the product.
Step 3) Apply the Sealant/Stain: Apply the sealant or stain over the deck, using paint brushes on handrails and smaller boards for precision and paint rollers for the large deck boards. You can apply a sealant over a stain, but ensure the sealant is fully dry before applying the stain. If the stain is oil-based, use a synthetic paint brush so it doesn’t fully soak into the bristles, making it harder to apply. You will want to avoid applying the stain in direct sunlight. Apply a second coat of stain if the wood is porous. Leave the deck to dry for up to 48 hours before moving items back onto the deck.
After applying the initial sealant and stain, repeat this process every season. While it may seem tedious, you have already stocked up on the right supplies and materials, so repeating this every year will be a breeze.
At GJR Decking, we are the Gold Coast’s local premium deck builders. Give us a call today to discuss your new project!
