A well-maintained deck is the perfect place to host lively summer barbecues or enjoy an evening with your family under the stars. However, keeping it maintained takes a little effort. Without proper care, the outdoor elements can put your wood deck through the wringer, compromising its beauty, causing damage, and shortening its lifespan.
The following four ways you can protect your deck this year will help preserve its durability and charm for many more seasons of enjoyment.
1. Start With a Thorough Cleaning
Always clean your deck before applying protective sealants so stains, sealants, or paints adhere properly. Dirt, grime, mold, and mildew can accumulate on the surface of wood decks, dulling the appearance and possibly inviting long-term issues.
When cleaning your deck, use wood-specific cleaners and scrub with a stiff brush or pressure washer. Keep in mind that the settings on the pressure washer should be high enough to clean but not enough to damage your deck.
2. Apply a High-Quality Sealant
The number-one enemy of your wood deck is the weather. Conditions like rain, snow, and even harsh sunlight wear down wood over time, especially if left untreated. Using high-quality sealants protects your deck from moisture and UV damage.
Use water-resistant options that also have UV filters to preserve the color and grain of your wood. If you live in an area with unpredictable weather patterns, your sealant needs some form of weather protection.
3. Don’t Forget Regular Inspections
Regularly inspect your deck to dodge costly repairs down the road. A quick check for loose boards, nails popping up, and cracks is a lot easier to address early on. Additionally, check your wood porch spindles for signs of wear or rot if your deck has handrails. These elements often go unnoticed but are just as prone to damage as larger supports.
4. Protect Against Furniture Damage
Just like furniture can scratch and scrape the wood floors in your home, outdoor furniture can do the same to your wood deck. Add furniture glides, mats, or outdoor rugs under the legs of tables and chairs, and apply felt pads under the bottoms of your furniture for extra defense. This simple step, combined with rearranging heavy items periodically, helps distribute wear more evenly across the deck.
These four ways to protect your deck this year go a long way toward preserving its aesthetic and functionality. Incorporate these practices into your yearly maintenance routine to stave off wear and keep your deck beautiful and welcoming.
If you’re making repairs to your wood balusters, spindles, caps, and railings, visit Mr. Spindle for expert guidance and quality products.
