Foolproof Ways to Weatherproof Your New Deck

27Apr

• By: Diamond Decks
• Decking Tips

Your new deck is something to be proud of. It provides you with an outdoor space that can be used for a number of things. It’s where you’ll spend a good amount of time in the summer and even early fall given that the weather cooperates. With that being said, it’s important to make sure that you’ve taken the time to weatherproof your deck. This will ensure that you’ll get to use it without any issues for years. You’ll protect it against the elements so that it looks as good as it did the very first day you used it.

Make Your Deck Stand a Chance Against the Elements

Here are some foolproof ways to weatherproof your deck:

1. Give it a thorough cleaning. Sweep debris off the deck being careful to remove leaves, twigs, and dirt from its boards. Next, take a putty knife to remove trapped leaves from the spaces between the boards. They have a tendency to rot and cause the boards on your deck to rot, too. This is time consuming work but well worth it once you have the outdoor space weatherproofed.
2. Scrub the actual wood. Now that you’ve removed the dirt and debris off of the deck, you’ll want to clean its surface. You don’t need a commercial cleaning product to do it, either. Simply use bleach and water. A solution of half and half will do the trick. Dunk your scrub brush into the solution and start removing algae and mildew. If you have a brand new deck, you won’t have to worry about this step. You will, however, need to clean the deck if you didn’t stain or seal it at the time it was constructed.
3. Apply stain or sealer to the boards. The final step is to stain or seal the deck. Both with increase the longevity of the outdoor space by weatherproofing it. Sealant makes it so that the deck repels water. It beads up and rolls off the boards with ease. To use sealer, you’ll need either a pad with a reservoir built into it or a foam roller. Both do a sufficient job of covering the boards on your deck. Make sure to go over the entire surface to make sure that it is completely weatherproofed.

If your deck is older or had been stained or sealed in the past, you’ll want to make sure to sand it. This is, of course, after checking for loose, creaky or warped boards. It will allow you to make the structure as safe as possible so you can continue to enjoy it without costly repairs.

Sometimes, you buy a home that already has a deck and you opt to restore it to its original condition instead of building a new one. That’s when you’ll want to buy or borrow a sander. It saves you time and energy.

You should also consider weatherproofing the space under the deck. Some options that work well are plastic membranes that help with water drainage. There are a number of brands that carry systems that do an adequate job of keeping water from pooling up under your deck.

Composite Decks are an Alternative Option

If you want to avoid all the work involved with this process of weatherproofing, opt to have a composite deck built by Diamond Decks instead. There are a number of benefits to do this. For example, it looks like wood but doesn’t wear like wood.

What are Composite Decks Made Of?

Composite decks are made from recycled wood fibers and recycled plastic. Typically seen as waste, both are mixed to create a product that is durable and long lasting. It doesn’t require the work it takes to care for a wooden deck nor does it warp or splinter.

Choosing the Right Type of Deck for Your Home

You’ll be able to maintain the brand new look that you invested in with a composite deck. If you choose to go with a traditional wood deck, there will be some upkeep so prepare accordingly for it. With the right tools on hand, you can keep things neat and tidy prior to staining or sealing the deck.

Weatherproofing Helps Protect Your Investment

There are a number of ways to weatherproof your deck. It’s important to do it right away as you may encounter issues with the wood that you’ve chosen if you don’t. You don’t want the boards to buckle or splinter. It makes your deck look unsightly as well as making it unsafe.

Let Our Expert Team Take Care of Building Your Deck for You

Let Diamond Decks know what you have in mind for your dream deck. We’ll make sure we build you precisely what you’re asking for. That way, you’ll have an outdoor space that you love to be in time and time again.