Maintaining Your Wood Deck
Home decks and porches have skyrocketed in popularity in recent years, and it seems they’ll only continue to do so. More and more people are realizing the advantages of having an attractive, comfortable outdoor space attached to their homes.
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Wood decks are the perfect way to enjoy the great outdoors from the comfort of home, with friends, family, or pets by your side. Decks are popular for entertaining, al fresco eating, and functional outdoor living spaces. You can add outdoor exercise equipment, stylish hot tubs, gazebos, pet pens for your furry ones, play structures for the children, garden beds, showy holiday decor, and the list goes on.
Homeowners should also be aware that decks increase the property value of their home. What’s not to love?
Deck Maintenance 101
Decks are functional, visually attractive, and raise your home’s property value. They also require a lot less landscaping maintenance than traditional landscaping. Since an outdoor deck replaces some of the lawn, it leaves less grass to mow and fewer weeds to pull.
Although minimal, decks do require some occasional maintenance. Over time, your wooden decking may take a few hits as it is subject to weather damage, moisture accumulation, and rotting. Over time, these effects can add up and compromise the stability and appearance of your deck.
The accumulation of moisture is a notable concern, as it wears down the wood and can destabilize the strength and resistance of wooden boards and posts, which hold the deck up.
Wood rot can also occur; you’ll notice if pieces of the boards are coming loose, or if it looks like bits of wood are being chopped off. Wood rot is natural, but it disintegrates the platform and structure of decking over time. Preventative steps like sealing can be talent to prevent premature wood rot. Weather events, like strong rains, snow, and heavy sun exposure, can increase the speed of wood disintegration and cause fading, rot, and discoloration sooner than you would have liked.
Both preventative measures and after-the-fact care are essential to the maintenance of your home deck. Whether you’re thinking of building a deck on your home for the first time, or you already have one and want to know how to take better care of it, here are 7 maintenance tips that you’ll want to consider (specifically with wooden decking in mind).
7 Ways to Maintain a Deck on a Home
Regularly sweep the deck and remove any debris
This should be obvious, but it is important to keep your deck as clean and debris-free as possible.
You should regularly sweep away debris like leaves, branches, dirt, or other organic materials that could attract bugs. If you live in a windy climate, or have trees hanging over or nearby your deck, you should be sweeping quite frequently to wipe off fallen organic matter.
You may also use a putty knife to clean any small debris that might get stuck between boards. You might find it helpful to schedule an annual deck cleaning for more heavy-duty cleaning such as spraying a mildew cleaner, scrubbing the boards with a bristle brush, and rinsing the deck. Make sure to give the boards a good, thorough sweep before applying a cleaning solution.
Inspect the deck for damage and make repairs as needed
It is important to be proactive about maintenance on your deck, for both safety and aesthetic reasons. Doing occasional maintenance checks help keep your deck in good shape and ensure a longer life for the wood.
Keep an eye out for visible damage, such as chipped boards and wood rotting. Make sure to inspect underneath the deck as well, checking for structural damage or anything that could compromise the safety of the platform. You should also survey for rust underneath (as this can indicate an even worse rust problem on the inside), take notice of any movement on the deck while standing (which indicates instability), and inspect the point where the deck meets the house (this is often an area where rainwater leaks in, can sit for awhile, and create rot).
Apply a sealant or stain to protect the wood from weathering
Applying a sealant to your deck can be apart of your annual deck cleaning. As a rule of thumb, you should apply sealant or stain to your wooden deck once a year. Deck sealer and stain protects the wood from rotting (as well as from mildew and UV rays) and is crucial for keeping the deck in good condition.
The main difference between a sealant and a stain is that sealants are primarily for moisture control, whereas stains often have UV protection. Deck stains are often pigmented, adding color to the deck to keep the wood looking new. You may consider a combined 2-in-1, sealant-and-stain product, which offers the best of both worlds.
Sand the deck
Sanding refers to the process of rubbing the surface of wood with an abrasive sheet (ie sandpaper) to remove top surfaces and smoothen the texture of the wood. Sanding evens out the texture of wood and leaves the surface feeling smoother.
To sand your wooden deck, begin by sweeping the deck to remove any debris. Then, wash the entire deck with warm water and detergent. Proceed to sand using an orbital sander to even out any rough areas on the wooden boards. Always wear a dust mask and safety goggles when sanding to protect your eyes.
If you do this once every 2-3 years, you will notice the different on your deck. If you plan to stain your deck, it is recommended to sand the entire surface beforehand so that the wood better absorbs the coating.
Periodically check the fasteners
Checking the fasteners (steel screws or plates found on the edge of the deck) should always be apart of your deck safety inspection. Make sure they are tight and not in danger of coming loose. If you have concealed fasteners, make sure not to forget about them!
The fasteners are holding a heavy load — literally. They are responsible for holding strength in the deck by tightly adjoining the decking material to the joists below. Put your safety first and do a quick inspection of your deck’s fasteners to ensure they are secure and not experiencing erosion or excess moisture.
Watch out for mold and mildew
If you spot any mold or mildew on your deck, you should clean it off immediately. Since it is caused by excess moisture, your deck will be especially prone to mold and/or mildew if you live in a humid area.
Check for dark spots, white spots, or small fibers. A rotten or musty smell is another telltale sign that you have mold or mildew on your hands. Once spotted, it’s important to take care of the problem as quickly as possible, as building of mold/mildew can cause health issues including allergy-like symptoms, aggravating asthma, or irritating the lungs.
The good news is, it’s fairly simply to clean. If you spot mold or mildew on your deck, a solution of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide is often the way to go.
Replace damaged boards
Wooden decks can have long lives, but of course they don’t last forever. Wooden decks can last up to 15 years if maintaned properly. It’s normal to notice a bit of wood damage (ie rotting, excess moisture, discoloration) after a few years.
If you discover damage, such as wood rotting, on any of the boards on your deck, you should replace them ASAP. Stable boards are essential to keeping the structure of your deck safe and secure. Especially if your deck is early on its lifespan, or if the damage is minimal (ie minor splintering or faded color), it’s worth it to replace the individual damaged boards.
However, in the case of excessive damage such as widespread rot, or if you’ve already had the deck for over 10 years, it might be time to invest in a whole new deck or a deck refurbishment. If you need a deck refurbishment, look no further than BigDecks.com. We have the decades of experience needed to return your deck to its best condition!
