Decking Board Maintenance

The main reason why you probably bought decking boards is to give your porch a good natural look. Creating a cosy feeling at your outdoor room is the best thing to do whether you are living alone and you and enjoy your me time by reading a book; or you are living with your family and the best place to stay at is the porch because you want to look after your kids who are playing in the front yard. Decks are actually good outdoor living spaces. But if your outdoor room has become weathered because of the harm done by elements and weather, then maintaining your deck’s original glory should be listed at the top of your mind.

Unlike the floors inside your home that only gets the dirt coming from the soles of our shoes, decking boards require regular maintenance because they are exposed to the inconsistent weather and season. Only a little portion of the homeowners with decks know that building a deck in our houses is a return of investment. A wood deck addition project returns an average of 77% of the original investment that you have taken out of your pocket. A deck, in fact, is probably the most worthwhile material that we should put when we plan of doing a home improvement project. It’s no secret to us that decks can be costly in other areas of UK. Therefore, the more decks you buy, the more you get returns on your investments.

However, decking board repairs may be expensive. That is why maintenance is suggested for us to eliminate the option of repairing it. Be sure that you apply first aid to your decks through the following procedures:

1.                   Washing

Before making any adjustment on your deck, make sure that you remove all the debris and dirt first. If you apply the necessary adjustments without washing it first, then the move would only be considered as a void. Or worse, your work will be doubled. The early sign that a deck needs washing is the presence of molds and grunges. Molds and grunges can trap moisture and can cause your decks to rot. If you find small areas that are rotting, you may use a chisel to remove them. Naturally, doing that will create a hole.  But don’t worry because you can use a wood preservative to stuff the hole. After the necessary inspections, you may move on to washing your deck and letting it dry overnight.

2.                   Fixing

Thoroughly inspect your decks for loose nails. If there are loose nails, you can choose to simply pound the loose nail heads that are popping using a hammer. That is just a short term solution. However, if you wish to find a better and long term solution for popping nail heads, you can protrude the nails and replace them with deck screws that are longer than the nails. After looking for the presence of loose nail heads, look for signs that a timber needs replacement. It’s better to replace just a few decking boards instead of replacing them all. The new wood would normally appear thicker than the old ones but wait for a week or so and it will eventually be evened out with the old ones. If you still find the new decking boards to be disturbingly thicker, you may opt to use a belt sander to flatten them. After that, use exterior stains to prevent your timbers from rotting. Wait for about 48 hours before applying sealants. Remember to wear gloves, mask and eye protection when applying stain and sealers to ensure your safey.

3.                   Inspection

The maintenance of your deck doesn’t end there. Be sure that you check your deck’s condition annually. Decks should be cleaned and sealed every year. Signs of rotting should be checked also. Taking care of your decking boards is a continuous process. Pay more attention to the areas near sources of water. The decks placed near the said areas are most likely the ones to develop molds and grunges.

If the weather is being a little bit stern, there is a big chance that puddles of water will form on your decking boards. Be sure to remove the water when the rain stops. Letting the rain stay in the decks will make the decking boards rot. Furthermore, the procedures that are stated above are best taken during midsummer or dry season. When the weather is warm and dry, it is already perfect to give your deck’s structure a closer look. Hence, doing all of the mentioned maintenance tips during rainy days will only defeat your purpose.