Once you install a wood deck, naturally, you will want to enjoy your newly founded outside living quarters for many seasons to come. Like you regularly clean the inside of your Northern VA house, a wood deck needs regular cleaning and maintenance to maintain a safe and habitable structure.
By caring for your wood deck at your home in Northern VA properly, you will get more life and use of these new outdoor living quarters. Hopefully, the following will help in caring for your wood deck—
Cleaning—Once a year, you should religiously clean your wood deck in Northern VA. Pick a warm day with the temperature being around 60 to 70 degrees and apply a deck cleaner with either a sprayer or a roller to kill any mold or bacteria. If it is extremely dirty, use a utility brush to scrub the wood deck.
Never use chlorine bleach because it strips the wood of its natural color.
A power washer is the quickest way and may also be used, but you risk gouging the wood. A garden hose with a ”fireman” nozzle works really well without the risks. If you do use a power washer, once your wood deck is dry, lightly sand the surface to remove any fuzzy, splintery patches caused by the pressure washer. Then seal your wood deck in Northern VA to protect it from warping, cupping, and cracking.
Your wood deck in Northern VA should be regularly swept, cleaning off leaves and branches, and other debris. Also, keep water puddles swept away to prevent water damage. When it snows, and you can’t remove it with a broom, use a plastic shovel.
A wood deck built from pressure–treated wood is not maintenance free. While it may resist rot and insect infestation, it still needs periodic cleaning and sealing to withstand solar and water damage. Use products that are made especially for pressure–treated wood.
Periodically inspect your wood deck at your home in Northern VA for any soft or splintered areas, loose nails, and rotten or split planks. Areas that are damaged should be properly fixed so that it doesn’t present a safety hazard. Do the repairs before doing the annual cleaning.