Deck Maintenance and Safety Tips

How to Get Your Deck in Prime Shape for Entertaining

Deck maintenance can be a daunting task with all the different surfaces and difficult corners to maintain. Here are some tips to keep your deck in pristine condition without spending too much time or effort.

If you have a wooden deck, make sure you check for missing, loose, or broken boards before anything else. Repairing these is an essential part of deck maintenance – any more damage will only lead to further deterioration that will eventually need more extensive work down the line. Once that’s locked down, if it’s not too hot outside (cool enough for bare feet but warm enough not to dry up the wood), take a broom out and sweep up any stray dirt or leaves from your deck before they can cause significant harm.

If you have a composite deck you’re probably pretty familiar with how it should be maintained. Make sure you check for splinters, loose boards, and fading of the color. The best way to do this is to get down on your hands and knees and really get a good look at it.

Now that everything is inspected and no major problems are visible, you can set down to clean your deck. If your deck has a lot of wooden furniture like chairs, tables, and benches then there are a few different ways to begin cleaning them all (for example if there is one table that has had an umbrella over it for the past several months then don’t clean anything underneath it. Just get the table and clean it. The boards underneath won’t be affected). If you’re just getting one piece to start with, try grabbing a bucket of warm water and some soap that is formulated for decks – you can usually buy a small 3-4 ounce bottle for about 5 dollars.

Rinse down the furniture to get any loose debris or dirt out of the way, and then sponge up the surface with your cleaning solution. Rinse with the hose after you are done washing each piece (assuming it has no wooden parts). This method should be used to clean every walkway and any concrete patio furniture as well.

If you’re really set on making your deck look new again, you can apply a new sealer to the wood. This will help it resist water stains, protect it from pests if you have any, and ensure that the natural color doesn’t fade away. This is a little more time-consuming, but it can be well worth the effort if you really want your deck to look its best.

Before applying any sealer make sure that your deck’s surface is completely clean first. You should use a mild soap and water solution to clean away any dirt or grime that may still be clinging to the wood discolorations or areas where mildew will begin to grow in future seasons. Next, make sure that you finish off the washing process with a thorough scrubbing. Finally, you can use a sander to knock down any rough spots before applying layers of sealer to the surface.

Contact Handyman Connection

Contact Handyman Connection to schedule a free home improvement estimate for deck maintenance or installation. Call or text your local office if you have any questions or would like to learn more about our services.