You come home from work, kick off your shoes, and get ready for dinner when you glance out your back door, catch a glimpse of your wood deck – and cringe. You’ve been avoiding doing something about it for far too long.
Maybe you keep dreaming of hosting an annual barbeque in your backyard, throwing your daughter a graduation party, or inviting just a few friends over for a nice, relaxing evening on the deck – but you’re not sure where to start transforming it into something you can be proud of.
If you could carve just one day out of your busy schedule to get your deck in shape, those barbeques and get-togethers are more than just a vision… they’ll become a reality in just a few easy steps.
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Table of Contents
Step 1: Make Necessary Repairs
Over time, nail heads tend to protrude out of the worn-looking wood due to expanding, contracting, and environmental moisture from rain and snow. Using a hammer and a drift pin to pound them down into place without causing any further damage to the decking boards.
Check any ledger fasteners used to secure the deck to the side of your home and the connections used to attach the deck to any footers – making sure they are still nice and tight. Accidents from a deck coming away from the house or sliding off the footers could cause injury to you, your family members, or guests.
Step 2: Give it a Good Cleaning
Use cleaning solutions created specifically for wood decks and a deck scrubber to make the wood shine like new. Decks should be cleaned annually, but depending on how much moisture and shade the deck receives – it could grow moss very quickly or hold residue.
If the debris, sun-worn wood, and old chipping stain need an extra dose of elbow grease, consider using a pressure washer alongside your deck cleaner to make it shine like new wood. Be sure to rinse your deck thoroughly to remove all traces of the cleanser. If you don’t have a pressure washer, contact your local rental agency or borrow one from a friend or family member to get the job done.
Step 3: Seal the Deal
Once the deck is dry, it’s time to seal it. Sealing a deck will resist moisture penetrating into the wood and prolong the life of your deck. If using a “stain and seal” product, select one that contains elastomeric polymers that will expand and contract with the wood during hot and colder temperatures – which lasts longer than traditional stains and seals.
Coat the area between the deck boards with a thin brush first. To save your back, consider using an application pad on the end of a paint pole which will allow the sealant to go on smooth and even – similar to painting a wall.
TIME-SAVING TIP: If all of these seems daunting, you might hire a professional deck cleaning service such as Ned Stevens deck cleaning. You may even have some time at the end of your day to relax and enjoy the sight of your rejuvenated deck.
