Deck Maintenance

Building a deck is only part of the work.  You will need to take good care of it, so that it stands up well to the weather and heavy use. Proper care of your deck will make it last many seasons.

Once built, and before you start to use it, wooden decks need to be sealed to make them waterproof, but it is equally important that you engage in routine maintenance thereafter. Wooden decking requires regular maintenance to prevent cracking and splitting.

In order for your deck to retain a clean, fresh look to it, you should clean it regularly. Sweep it each week with a stiff brush to remove surface debris, and any that is in difficult areas like the spacing between deck planks. This needs to be properly removed or it may encourage the growth of mold or mildew.

If you get any spillages, such as might happen at a BBQ, clean the boards thoroughly as soon as possible.  A few minutes spent every week giving your deck proper care, can save you a lot of time in the future, as well as minimising the risk of damage and the cost of repairs.

The wood surface should be regularly treated.  You can either maintain it so that it retains an 'as new' look, or let it weather out to a greyish appearance. Natural wood decking requires treatment, annually or every other year. This will largely depend on exposure and weather conditions. The deck needs to be cleaned and resealed or stained to prevent it rotting away. Natural wood will always weather, and its colour never stays the same as when new.

Decks made from composite materials don't require the maintenance that wooden decks do, that's part of their attraction, but they still need regular cleaning to keep them looking good. Composites need to be washed regularly to retain their appearance.

Prepare the surface for cleaning

Your wooden deck should be free of any dirt or loose material before applying any stain or water repellant. Oil or grease stains will need to be removed with a suitable proprietary cleaner, as will any moss, mold, or mildew. A pressure hose is a good and speedy way of cleaning your deck, but planks may still need to have stubborn material removed from between the planks by hand.

If you need to use any cleaning agents before applying stain, ensure the deck is completely dry before application of the stain or sealant. Check the weather forecast so that you have at least a couple of dry days to apply sealant and for it to cure, and make sure you don't apply the stain in direct sunlight. Ensure that the entire deck is treated, including difficult to reach parts of the construction. If you skimp on this, you risk the onset of mold and mildew, followed by cracks and rotting wood, and then expensive repairs.

With stains and water repellants, it is good penetration that is important, so make sure you don't apply so much that there is a surface film. Wipe off any excess.

It is recommended that you inspect your deck from time to time, looking out for any signs of damage, be that broken nail heads, wood splinters, broken boards and so on.