Should You Winterize Your Wood Deck?
With a little maintenance, a wood deck will last many years. In areas where snow and heavy rains are common (such as in Chicago, Minneapolis, or Denver) cleaning and sealing the deck will extend the deck’s useful life. A local carpenter can provide suggestions you should know for your region of the country.
Cleaning
Whether you plan to seal the wood or not, a careful cleaning of your wood deck before winter will preserve its natural beauty. With time, mildew, dirt and other foreign objects tend to discolor wood deck. A pressure washer will clean a wood deck much faster than scrubbing with a broom. However, an improperly used pressure washer can damage the wood. Be sure to hold the nozzle at a distance from the wood that will allow the streams of water to clean but not so close that is erodes the wood.
If needed, use an eco-friendly cleaning solution. Moisten the deck and sprinkle with baking soda. Let sit one hour then rinse. Oxygen bleach is another cleaning option. Unlike chlorine bleach, oxygen bleach does not contain harsh chemicals like sodium hypochlorite. Rather, it is made of sodium percarbonate, a powdered form of hydrogen peroxide. Powdered bleach is made when hydrogen peroxide is added to natural soda ash or natural borax. The obvious advantage of oxygen bleach is that it cleans stubborn stains, inside and outside, without harsh, even harmful, chemicals.
Staining and Sealing
If any boards are damaged or rotted, replace them before staining and sealing the deck. Hire a carpenter if you are not sure of how to do this properly. Hammer any nails that have popped up or loosened. If the color is still fresh looking you won’t need to stain.
To test if you need to seal the deck, drop water on boards in different areas of your deck. If water beads, you won’t need to seal. However, if the water soaks into the boards apply a sealer.
Sealers are available in clear and pre-tinted varieties. After the wood has dried thoroughly, clean it with a dry broom to remove any leaves or other debris. Apply the sealer with a sprayer, roller or wide brush, allowing the liquid to soak into the wood.
Winterizing your wood deck will maintain its beauty and function. A professional carpenter in your area can help you replace any damaged components and even recommend the right products to use.
Author Caryn Colgan grew up in a DIY home and has been a professional writer since 1984.
