Deck Maintenance
A note from Al…
I’m sure you have heard all the claims of no-maintenance decking. There simply is no such thing as a no-maintenance deck. All decks will require some maintenance. There are some good choice for low-maintenance decking, which I mention on the “Choosing a Deck Type” page.
There are basically two types of decking; natural wood board decks and man-made board decks. Most man-made boards are called composite boards. These composites are made from a combination of wood flour, or pulp, and plastic, along with dyes for color. Some of the better composites and the puc-based boards are very low maintenance, while some will grow mold on them and are not low maintenance at all.
If you have the puc=based or a composite that has antifungal/antimold agents mixed into the boards when they are made, then they should need nothing more than a cleaning with the waterhose a few times a year. If you have a non-puc-base composite, follow the manufacturers instructions for deck maintenance. Some of the composite manufacturers make their own deck cleaner for general cleaning and to remove mold spots. If you do have mold, DO NOT clean with bleach as this will only make the problem worse. Go to your local Hope Depot store and get a product made especially for mold removal.
The biggest enemy of wood decks is leafs. Use a leaf blower or broom to keep the leaves off your deck. If you do not keep leaves off your deck, they will build up in the cracks between the decking boards, causing them to rot. Leafs contain tanning that breaks down the cells of the wood. If you do have leaves built up between the boards of your deck, there are a few simple ways to fix the problem. First, try using a garden hose and washing the leaves away. You may want to try a spray nossle, but do not use a pressure washer. If that does not work, try using a handsaw along the gaps between the boards to get out the leaf build-up. This is a great chore for kids in the house!
If you have not used a deck stain/sealer on your wood deck, then I advise you to do so as soon as possible. A well maintained deck will last for 5 years longer than one that is not well maintained. I recommend TWP deck stain to all mu customers. If you cannot locate TWP brand in your local stores, check with your local paint store (not Home Depot) for a good oil-based stain to use. Follow the instructions exactly. Typically, Spring and Fall are the best times of year for staining your deck. Do not apply stain when the temperature outside is 50 degrees or less. The optimum temperature is 70-80 degrees. When the stain begins to wear off the deck, and the board begin to turn gray, it is time to re-apply the stain. When stripping off stain, never use a pressure washer. Chances are you will cause severly damage the wood. It’s best to first use a chemical stripper to remove the old stain and dirt from the wood, and then a brightener to bring back the natural color of the wood. Then apply the new coat of stain. I have found that most strippers perform better if you do not dilute them with as much water as the instructions specify. Use a deck brush to scrub all the areas that are hard to get to.
When applying the stain, use a stain pad fastened to a broom stick for the best results. After 15 minutes, any areas that look wet or tacky can be wiped with a rag. Over-application is one of the more frequent reason that stain fails… so do not over apply!
Finally for the deck posts… Many people landscape around the posts of the deck, covering the footing of the deck with mulch or dirt. Be sure to keep dirt and mulch off the bottom of your wood posts, or the posts will rot.