Getting ready for spring - decking
If you fell in love with decking during the ‘Ground Force’ period of garden design, you’ve got work to do in the spring months to keep it looking good and safe underfoot. Here are some basic deck maintenance tips:
Seal your deck to prevent splintering and discoloration – this should have been done when you laid the wood, if not, do it before the hot days of summer which can cause sealant to crack and bubble, then clean with a pressure hose and reseal the decking once a year, preferably in autumn.
You should check your deck in spring for loose boards and protruding nails, often nails will rise because water has got into the decking, so don’t just hammer them back down, check for an underlying problem that could shorten the life of your wood.
If you decide to clean your deck yourself, follow the directions on the cleaning solution, noting that in some cases, it is essential to hose down the deck and surrounding area before applying cleaning solutions. Make sure you limit the amount of solution that gets on nearby plants as it can be toxic. After the solution has been left on the wood for the exact length of time recommended in the instructions, rinse the deck thoroughly. If you don’t leave it long enough it won’t kill off microbes and if you leave it too long it will eat into the wood!
After the deck dries, put down tarps to protect plants, air conditioners and other items before applying your sealant, which depending on manufacture can be brushed, rolled (with a paint roller) or sprayed on.
Decking photograph by Sarah Jane, used under a creative commons attribution licence
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