Your deck can be a wonderful place that your friends and family can congregate and enjoy the weather, barbeque, or backyard activities you have at your home. For many people, the deck is a source of pride and is something that is absolutely judged on its aesthetic appeal.
Therefore, it is important to understand what substances can damage your wood or composite deck so you can make sure you are protecting it. Nothing will kill a party quicker than a deck that doesn’t look like something you want to sit on.
To keep your deck looking its best, follow this guide of different substances that can harm it.
Decks have to be resilient, simply because they are outside in the elements. This doesn’t mean that it is impervious to everything though. To begin with, let’s look at man-made problems.
The biggest threat is something spilling on the surface. Whether it is something innocuous like food or drink, or something much more major like bleach or cleaner, your deck can be damaged if these substances are allowed to linger and not cleaned properly. Your deck could get stained, and if you allow it to sit long enough, the wood can become compromised over time.
Next, let’s look at how the environment can damage your deck. First is the weather. If you are in an area that receives heavy rain or snowfall, the residual water that is left behind can become a breeding ground for mold and mildew.
Also, dirt and grime can accumulate on your deck, whether through the wind or on the bottom of people’s and pet’s feet. While dirt and grime aren’t going to damage the structural integrity of your composite or wood, it doesn’t look good either and can turn off anyone that was considering sitting on your deck.
Lastly don’t forget about different allergens like pollen, dander, or ragweed (amongst many others). Just like with dirt, these unwanted guests can come in on the wind and settle on your deck. Also, while they won’t damage your deck per se, they can damage the people who are sitting on it if it gets kicked around and thrown into the breathable air.
So how do you take care of these problems? Through regular cleaning. The most important thing to remember is you don’t need harsh chemicals to make sure your deck is clean. Finding a natural cleaning solution will do the job just fine.
Also, if you decide to go with a power washing method for your deck, don’t hold the nozzle too close to the surface, or use too much pressure when trying to clean. You can easily blast away the paint, or even chip away at the wood on your deck if you aren’t careful.
Hiring a pressure washing company is your best bet to make sure that it is done correctly.
Keeping your composite or wood deck looking its best is not an easy task, but something that needs to be done if you want to be the one that hosts parties at your house with family and friends.
If you want to ensure that it is done correctly, contact us today.
