WOOD CARE

 How to protect your deck 

In addition to having your deck professionally cleaned and sealed, you can protect your investment with these tips:

• Place flower planters on cement blocks rather than on your deck, where they trap moisture and dirt.

• If you have a grill, use a grease catcher. 

• Don’t let leaves collect on your deck, because they can leave stains.

• Promptly shovel snow from your deck.

• If you have a new deck, have it cleaned to kill mildew spores in the wood, remove surface impurities that keep sealers from penetrating and then protect it with a sealer.

• Don’t apply paint or solid stain to your deck, because they peel and require a lot of maintenance.

• Professional cleaning and sealing with the proper products and tools can reduce the need for cleaning and refinishing to every 2 to 4 years instead of every year.

  Why decks need refinishing

Weather and other environmental factors can be devastating to wood. Rain and dew are quickly absorbed by unprotected wood, causing it to soften and swell. When the sun dries the wood, it shrinks. These expansion and contraction cycles cause wood to warp, cup, crack and gray, leading to premature aging and the need for replacement. 

After 1 to 3 years of continuous sun exposure, unprotected wood begins to gray, which indicates wood fiber degradation and the start of structural damage. Like sunburned skin, the grayed surface layer is permanently damaged. In cedar and redwood, graying can occur within 30 days.

Weather is even harder on decks than on other types of wooden structures. This is because decks are horizontal and allow water to pool on the surface; the moisture attracts pollen and fungal spores, which cause discoloration. Decks are also subject to 50% more sunlight than structures with vertical surfaces and receive foot traffic. 

Look to New Again Deck Renewal to protect your investment against the ravages of weather. We are your metro roof and deck staining specialists!