ENJOYING & GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR DECK

Many of us that live in the Sierras and foothills are fortunate to live in homes that have decks that allow us to enjoy the outdoors with our family and friends, which many times includes meals and barbecue/grilling. But, as we move into the dog days of summer, our decks may be starting to show the evidence of all that use we been giving them as well as the ‘hammering’ the deck has been taking from the sun. With the warm dry weather we’ve been enjoying, maybe now is the best time to consider sprucing up our decks and readying them for the up coming winter months. The place to start is to take the time to really look at and inspect the deck. Not just from the top, but the underside and the supports of the deck. Take note of any earth to wood contacts (including debris/leaves build-ups) and white growths (fungus), which is the precursor to dry rot. Re-grade (dig/rake) the soil and debris down and away from the wood members of the deck breaking all the earth to wood contacts while providing drainage away from the supports and their concrete piers. Probe the wood with a screwdriver at the point of any white growths or areas that had been in soil/debris contact to determine if the wood is still sound. If the flat bladed screwdriver pushes into the wood, repairs are in order.

Whether your deck is in need of repairs or not, it is usually best to start off with clean and fully visible surfaces. The best way to accomplish this is by power washing all of the deck surfaces. You can rent a power washer, but I recommend that you practice a little on some old lumber or an area under the deck that won’t be seen easily so that you can get ‘the feel’ for how the power washer works. The stream of water that is delivered from the nozzle of the spray wand is strong enough to tear up the surface of the wood if you are not careful. After the power washing, let the deck wood members dry for a couple of days and then take care of any structural repairs that you have identified. Next, go on a search for any of the white growths (fungus), especially on the underside of the deck, and scrape and wire brush them off. Make sure to treat those areas with a fungicide to keep them from growing again in the immediate future. There are different types of fungicides available at home and garden stores, some of which are not so good for the environment. So, be sure to read and follow the label instructions carefully. Now is the time to give the top of the deck some attention. Any nails that have started backing out of the deck planks need to be set back down into the wood or pulled out and replaced with proper deck screws. Check the integrity of the guardrail and re-secure as necessary if it wobbles even slightly. Check the gap between the guardrail pickets and consider installing additional pickets, wire netting or some other type of material if the gaps are greater than 4”, as this can pose a safety issue of falling off the deck to small children.

Now that you’ve broken all the earth to wood contacts, cleaned all of the deck surfaces and made any of the repairs that were necessary, it’s time to dress up and protect your deck. Do not, let me repeat, DO NOT paint your deck. Although the deck will look great right after the paint is applied, over time the paint surface will crack from weather exposure and allow moisture into the wood members, but will not allow the wood to ‘breathe’ and expel the moisture, which will result in dry rot. The best bet is to apply a stain with preservative qualities. Consult your local paint store or home and garden paint department for advice on what product will give you the best protection and long term benefits. Applying the stain with an airless paint sprayer will probably give you the best results and get the material down into all the nooks and crannies, but a paint roller and brush will work also. So, I probably have you pretty worn out about now just thinking about how much work this deck refurbish will be. Yes it will be a bit of a project, but when you’re done the deck will be a clean, safe and inviting place for you, your family and friends will want to spend time on. And, if you need some encouragement to get the project under way, get an estimate or two from Contractors as to what the cost to replace the deck would be. I think that will give you plenty of incentive to maintain the deck you have in good shape! If you have any questions, give me a call (209-533-5044) or drop me an email note ( inspect@mlode.com ) and I’ll do my best to give you the information you need.