3 Tips To Help Your Deck Last Longer

When the weather is warm, it is nice to be able to make the most of it with an outdoor living space. Decks are among the most popular of these. Adding a deck with the help of a handyman carpenter represents a big investment, one that you want to protect. 

However, decks are necessarily exposed to all sorts of weather conditions at all times, even when conditions are not favourable for their use. The constant barrage can take a toll over time, but there are things you can do to protect it from the elements and help it last for many years. 

1. Be Careful When You Shovel Snow

Snow is a fact of life during winter in Ontario. If you don’t intend to use your deck during this time, it may not be necessary to clear the deck of snow at all. If it is properly weather-sealed, the moisture from the melting snow will not harm it, and if it is of good quality, the weight of the snow should not damage it either. 

However, it may be that you have to shovel snow off the deck or at least clear a path by which you can enter and exit the house via the deck. If this is the case be careful, as shovelling can actually cause more damage than the snow itself. To avoid scratching the wood of the deck, move the shovel in a parallel motion over the boards and use a plastic shovel rather than a metal one. If you have to use a metal one, make sure the edge is made of rubber. 

2. Keep It in the Shade

You may not have as much of a problem with snow collecting on your deck if you have a roof over it. A roof over your deck also helps to protect it from rain and direct sunlight, which can damage the finish, while still leaving the sides open so you can enjoy the fresh air and breeze. Shading your deck from the sun also makes it more comfortable to use in hot weather, as well as safer because it makes sunburn less likely. 

It is increasingly common for decks to be built with a roof. If you currently have a deck without one, it may be possible to retrofit a roof over it. However, if the roof is not practical or desired, there are other ways you can protect your deck from sun and rain, such as an awning or even a picnic table equipped with a large umbrella. These may not provide protection during the winter since heavy snow may tear through the fabric, but at least your deck will have protection for three out of four seasons of the year. 

3. Maintain Regularly, Repair as Necessary

Damage to the deck may start subtle at first and then become more pronounced. If you perform regular maintenance, such as seasonal inspections and regular cleaning and refinishing, it can help address the problems while they are still small and prevent them from getting worse. 

Nevertheless, sometimes problems arise with your deck. Maybe you became preoccupied with something else and fell behind on maintenance; life happens, after all. Maybe you did keep up on maintenance but it wasn’t enough to prevent damage. Maintenance merely decreases the probability of damage; it doesn’t remove the possibility. Maybe your deck suffered acute damage in some sort of unforeseen events, such as a severe storm; no amount of maintenance could have prevented that.

The point is however the damage to your deck occurred, you should call deck repair services in Scarborough to have it fixed as soon as possible. Deck services and carpentry are just a few of the services provided by Handyman Connection.