If you are lucky enough to have decking in your garden, you have the perfect place to entertain family and friends. However, decking can get damaged over time, either from general wear and tear or simply due to poor maintenance. Along with this, you have wintery weather conditions to contend with. If you want to know how to avoid deck damage and possibly even collapse this winter, here is a quick guide you can follow.
The top 3 causes of damage to decking are Mould, Water and Sunlight.
- Firstly Mould – Mould causes a slippery deck with grey, green or black discolouration it can either be in localised areas or spread across the whole deck. To protect against mould you must preserve your decking, and as well it’s best to remove any debris, such as dead leaves or dirt with a stiff bristled broom and don’t allow water to sit on your deck for extended periods of time. If you do already have a slippy or mouldy deck, all’s not lost, we have a full range of Decking Cleaners and Mould Killers. And as well to Protect your deck from mould we have a full range of Preservatives available too. So, click either of the boxes to my left and right now to access them.
- Next water and general bad weather – When Water is absorbed into your deck it washes the natural resins out of the wood and the freeze/thaw cycle can cause the surface to splinter and crack. And sitting water promote growth of algae, mould, and mildew and other issues such as wet rot can arise. It’s important to remember even if your deck is Tanalised or Pressure Treated it doesn’t mean its weather proofed so you must use a Weatherproof Finish. We have a full range waterproof decking stains, decking oils, decking paints and and other finishes available if you click the click the link in the box now.
- Wood is a natural building material and as a result of such without care and maintenance it will rot and damage. Yearly maintenance won’t just make your gardens and outside areas look great it will extend the lifespan of your deck considerably.
- Decking is designed to cope with only a certain amount of weight. If you have a lot of heavy garden furniture, made from stone or cast iron, it’s a good idea to either move some pieces to a paved or grassed area in the summer when the added weight of a barbecue, extra chairs, and umbrella stands can add to this. Also, if there is heavy snow forecast, this will add further weight, so try and move the furniture beforehand if possible. However, a properly built deck using quality materials will be able to handle more weight.
- Although a power washer seems a go-to piece of equipment to clean your decking, especially if you have a large area to cover, it can actually damage the wood if you are not careful. Using a too high-pressure setting, the wrong hose end, or washing for too long can all cause damage to your deck. If you are going to use a pressure washer, make sure you use a fan tip and spray along the grain rather than across it. Also, don’t aim the nozzle too close to the wood.