Summer Deck Maintenance: Keeping Your Deck Looking New All Summer

25Jul

• By: Diamond Decks
• Decking Tips

Winter has passed, and spring has come once again. You go outside and peer down at your beautiful summer deck. Only to find, it doesn’t look as amazing as you remember it.

Now, you need to figure out how you can spruce it up in time for summer! Below we will go over a few steps you can take that will make your summer deck looking fresh and new.

Wash Your Summer Deck

The first step to your perfect deck is to clean it!

Sweep up any debris (leaves, dirt) on your deck. After, use a hose and spray down your deck. Scrub down each wooden plank.

If you choose to power wash your deck instead of scrubbing, make sure not to use high pressure. High-pressure power washes can cause damage to your deck.

Remove Defective Nails

After you wash your deck, see if there is any maintenance that is required. If you see loose nails, use a nail set and hammer to put them back into place.

If your nails are popping out, it is best to replace them with deck screws. Should you put the popped up nails back in, they will just pop back up within a year.

When your nails are loose, it promotes curling around the edges of your wood. When this happens, use a board underneath the curled wood to help straighten them back out. Use deck screws to connect the board and the curled wood. Make sure to go slow, otherwise, you could end up cracking your wood.

Remove Damaged Wood

If you have split or rotting wood, you want to replace them with new wood. The worse your split wood is, the higher the chance of you or your guests getting splinters. You will have pieces start flaking off that can attach themselves to you.

With wood rot, you want to remove the infected boards immediately. Letting them stay on your deck can allow the rot to spread to your other boards.

Stain, Seal or Paint Your Deck

Staining gives your deck a finished appearance. It helps prevent water damage and will offer the most protection against sun damage. Staining should be redone every 3-4 years.

Sealing helps preserve the natural beauty of your wooden deck. On top of that, it is great for preventing water damage and some sun damage. Sealing needs to be redone after about 1-2 years.

If you have a weathered or discolored deck you may want to consider painting it. Your deck will look fresh and uniform. Paints offer more UV protection than sealers as well. This means your wood won’t degrade as quickly.

If you don’t want to cover up your wood with paint, you may be able to sand the wood then stain or seal it.

Maintain Your Deck

Once your deck is clean and ready to go, it’s time to maintain it.

Sweep Regularly

Make sure to sweep up anything that lands on your deck. This could be leaves, pine needles or pollen. If the needles or leaves are wet they can create mildew, mold, and stains. Pollen can cover every surface on your deck, it can be quite unsightly.

Trim Bushes and Plants Close to the Deck

If you have plants or bushes near your deck, you want to make sure they never actually touch your deck. If they come in constant contact with your deck it could rot your wood or become a breeding ground for moss.

Try not to use harsh chemicals when treating your plants and bushes. Using those types of chemicals could ruin the finish of your deck.

Clean up BBQ Oil

If your grill is on your deck, there is a chance that oil has spilled onto it. If any oil has fallen onto the wood, it is advised to clean it up immediately. It could ruin the finish and stain your deck. Moreover, it can be a breeding ground for mold.

Move Your Furniture

It is hot and sunny during the summer months. With that constant sun on your deck, it can change the color of your wood. This will be much more noticeable over time, especially if you keep your furniture in one place.

To avoid your deck looking mismatched, move your furniture around every so often. Your entire deck will get an equal amount of exposure to the sun.

Keep Your Summer Deck Looking Beautiful

Now that we have talked about how to keep your summer deck looking brand new, it’s time to do it. It may take a bit of work, but it will be worth it in the end. You will have a deck you can be proud of.

If you are making a new deck, review our blog to learn about great ways you can design your deck.