Wood Deck Protection

In the USA, the outdoor decks have drastically changed the look of the mundane backyards or even homes without courtyards at all. Apart from giving a different and interesting dimension to your home, decks are fantastic for a small get together or lazing around in the open for getting a whiff of fresh air. Amongst types or material of decks, wooden decks are the most popular in US. Wooden decks here are made mostly of cedar, redwood or pressurized pine. Wooden decks are the eternal favorites when it comes to decks. They are no doubt superb in look and durability. But proper care needs to be taken, to maintain the beauty and durability of wooden decks and accentuate the pleasure of using them. If you do not want to have a wooden deck because it needs a lot of care, you can go for composite decking, but nothing can beat the wooden decks.

Protection of a Wood Deck
Wood deck protection is essential to preserve the natural beauty of wood used for the deck. For this, an appropriate product for deck protection and applying it in the requisite manner, is of utmost importance. These two combined with few other wood deck protection tips will ensure that your wooden deck is free of any problems.

So, for wood deck protection, we start from the most elementary thing. That refers to clearing and cleaning of wooden decks. First things first, clear things off the deck (if any). After that a thorough cleaning of the deck will be required, before you apply anything like a sealant or a decking stain. For cleaning the deck, use a good and reliable wood care product. Using a hand pump sprayer, spray the substrate on the surface of the deck. The cleaning agent needs to settle down for a few minutes. Hence, let it settle down for around 20 minutes and then rinse with the help of a garden hose or a power blower. In case there are a few tough stains, a stiff brush can come to your rescue. You have to be very careful in case of wood decks because any wooden furniture is prone to degeneration and can attract insects, specially mites, which can ruin the wood.

Once the initial cleaning is done, let it stay for minimum 3 days and maximum 5 days to apply a decking stain on the surface. Then choose a decking stain for adding a bit of color to your wooden deck or may be maintain the natural color and grain of the deck. However, it should be kept in mind that wooden deck is vulnerable to harsh weather as well. A decking stain with an ultra violet protection can be a good option to save the wood from sun. Generally, the mantra is that if there is less pigmentation in the stain, the UV protection is less. Decking stains are normally of 3 types - clears, decking stain and solid color acrylic or solid color oil-based decking stain. All of these give a fairly good UV protection, the only difference is that the last two offer an array of options in colors, which clears does not have. Clears lasts for a shorter duration than the other two. Clears requires reapplication every 6 months to a year, whereas the other two need to be applied every 2 to 3 years or 4 years to as necessary wood deck protection measures. A great way to ensure that your deck does not encounter any problems is to have a teak wood deck. Teak is a natural sealant and wood protector on account of its teak oil.

Whichever of these products you chose, affirm that it is specifically for the deck. Then after you have chosen the product, comes the finishing touch. Check out and follow the instructions on the decking stain depending on the product and apply coats on the wood. Some of the products, need only a single coat, but the solid colors may require priming or multiple coats. For better outcome and guaranteed wood deck protection, consider if the season would be good for applying the deck sealants and stains. Ideally it should be applied between May to October. Another important thing is to avoid excessive barbecue practices on the deck.

And last thing, do not step onto the deck for at least 2 days after you apply the deck stain or sealant for ensuring appropriate wood deck protection. All these measures will ensure that your deck does not go creaky when you are at the peak of having fun in a party and does not play a spoil sport!

Have a great deck!