Tips to maintain your deck this summer

Tips to maintain your deck this summer

Anti-aging measures like proper preparation, maintenance and regular cleaning can help protect the integrity of your deck, maintain that fresh look and feel, and protect your investment.

There are a few ways you can preserve your outdoor deck:

• Repair any loose floorboards before they become more unstable and break
• Maintain and treat water damage, even small amounts, to prevent the timber from warping, rotting, and decaying
• Fill in any gaps in your timber decking, often left by missing nails, to prevent any timber deterioration
• Use deck oil to protect the timber from moisture, mildew, and sun damage

Choosing your stain colour

Decking timber has a natural texture to it and differs in colour, so choose a stain based on your colour preference. Stains with a superior finish can help prolong the life of the timber. It protects the timber from natural wear and tear effects, such as fading, splintering, and cracking.

• Choose a natural stain if you have a new deck or have used premium timber, so the timber's natural colour and grain will show through.
• If you are unsure of which colour stain will look best, tinted stains are a good choice. They just give a hint of colour, and the natural wood grain will also come through.

When it comes to selecting the deck oil, choose a high-quality product, as it will contain better resins and pigments, such as Johnstone’s Deck Oils. You can also browse through the colours on different types of decking timber, so you can get an idea of how your selected colour will look on your deck.

Use an applicator pad or brush to apply the coating for a nice, even finish. Apply several light coats and wait for each to dry well so the timber will soak it in. New pressure-treated lumber should be left to dry for 2-6 months before staining/sealing, so the timber properly soaks up maximum stain.

And avoid staining in direct sunlight, the timber will not soak it in, and the stain will evaporate. Even though the stain dries very quickly, you should wait 24 hours before walking on the deck. Watch this video to see exactly how we recommend you prep and maintain your new deck. If you are looking to refresh an old deck watch this video for some great advice.

Remind yourself to keep an eye on your deck when winter season passes, and wilder weather calms down, coat with deck oil every year to enjoy a beautiful deck for many years.

Sunny days are here again, and the holidays are soon approaching. Prep your deck and enjoy the outdoors.