Clean your deck

It sounds obvious. And well, it is. But you’ve got to thoroughly clean your deck before anything can be done. Jokes aside, if fallen leaves and dirt sit too long on your decking, it can lead to discoloration, mould, and potentially wood rot if left too long. Use a decking cleaner or simply a solution of warm water and dish soap to clean the surface, then rinse.

Sand and seal

No, we don’t mean the water dogs laying on the sand! If your decking is looking a touch dull and faded, a bit rough or has a few splinters, then we’ve got the solution for you. A simple sanding of the deck can fix a lot of these issues. It’ll get rid of the rough spots, can begin to erase small splinters and can break through discoloured patches. But don’t stop there, after sanding, consider giving your deck a lick of sealant. Good quality sealant does a lot of good, like restoring the colour, and protects the wood from moisture, UV, and insects.

Maintenance

The final step is another fairly obvious one and that’s to maintain your decking to keep it
beautiful. There are a few things to do here and it can overlap with the previous steps. From regular sweeping up and keeping clean, to repairing blemishes with putty or sealant. But lastly, it can also be useful to provide some ventilation to your deck. That means, if your decking is surrounded by bushes or plants, you simply need to make sure to trim them regularly to ensure there’s some space and airflow between your plants and finished wood. This will help to prevent moisture buildup, which will hold off any rot and damage to the wood.

In summary, regularly inspecting and maintenance of your deck is important for anybody who’s got decking. Simply keeping an eye out for any signs of damage and then acting upon them is usually enough to offset anything such as rot, cracks or loose boards. Simply keep your decking clean, give it a yearly lick of sealant to keep its colour and strength, and repeat! And believe us, your deck will thank you for extending its life!