Winter and snow will be here before we know it. Is your deck ready to survive the season?
The first snowfall should be coming down any day now here in the Baltimore area! Do you have a deck or a patio? Your opportunity to take care of some basic winter maintenance tasks is quickly drawing to a close, so if you haven’t done so the time is now to finish preparing your deck for the winter. Here are three things you should do before the first snowfall to extend the life and durability of your deck.
1. Thoroughly Clean Your Deck
Dirt, debris, dead leaves, and stains can have an overall impact on your deck’s appearance, and can also contribute negatively to its longevity depending on the material it is made out of. Your cleaning process will differ depending on what the deck is made of. For composite decks, simply sweep off any debris or use a power washer to remove dirt and potential stains. For wood decks, it is crucial to use a bleach-free cleaner specially formulated for wood. This will restore the wood to its natural beauty without warping its natural color.
2. Apply a Protective Finish
After your deck has been cleaned, you ought to apply a protective finish so that moisture is prevented from seeping into the material. Moisture can make the materials in your deck prime places for the growth of mildew, moss, and algae as well as promote splitting, cracking, and warping of wood. A protective finish will keep your deck looking fresh when the last snow melts and springtime returns.
3. Watch Out for Ice
Ice can be extremely dangerous for you and your family and it’s important to keep an eye out for its appearance on your deck, especially if you still use it during the winter time. But do not use sand or rock salt on your deck to deice it! Sand can scratch your deck and remove the protective finish you just applied to it. And rock salt corrodes the material of your deck as well as cause the rusting of the metal fasteners. If you need to deice your deck, use a material that is friendly to wood such as ammonia sulfate or calcium magnesium acetate.
Ready to invest in your new deck? We can help.
For the new deck of your dreams, done by professionals you can trust, contact Blair Construction. We have been serving our valued Maryland customers for almost thirty years and look forward to giving your roof the care it needs for years to come. We can put together the perfect plan of action for your next project!
Contact us online or give us a call at (410) 729-0777 to get a free in-home estimate. To see examples of our work and get updates on what we are up to, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Google+, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Houzz.