Prolonging your deck.
Decks are a wonderful addition to any home, from hosting cookouts to relaxing after a busy day. If you want to enjoy your outdoor space and keep it functional for years to come there are some things that must be done. Following through with these steps will ensure for your deck to not only look visually pleasing but keep it structurally sound as well.
First step is to check your deck for any loose or rotting pieces of wood. Screw down loose pieces and replace any rotting wood that you may have. Rotting wood traps moisture and can make the surrounding wood rot as well. Screwing down loose pieces of wood ensure no accidents or further damage is caused.
Second is to thoroughly clean your deck with a scrub brush and some deck cleaner. Since decks are exposed to the elements, they are prone for mold. Especially if one side or the bottom gets wet and doesn’t get dried by the sun or air flow. Scrub the tops, sides, the bottom and in between the cracks of the floorboards. Although a laborious task, this will help the deck stain or paint to adhere to the wood better.
After the repairs and the cleaning, the next step is to sand. Sand any area that’s going to get stain or paint applied, the micro scratches by the sanding paper will give the paint or stain something to adhere to prolonging the life of the paint job. After sanding be sure to wipe down or blow off your deck, getting the dust off will give your deck a smooth finish and help the stain or paint stick.
Finally, you can lay your paint or stain down. Put on the first coat on let it dry completely and add a second coat for any spots missed during the first round. Give your deck a week before putting furniture or plants on it. The paint or stain needs time to cure so it can harden over time, making it a bit more resilient to scratches.
If the following steps are taken your deck finish should last for about 3-6 years before it needs to be redone. In the meantime, enjoy the fruit of your labor a little TLC goes along way. Now you have a nice deck to enjoy, cost less money down the road to maintain it and add equity to your home.
