Prep your deck,
Helpful tips to prepare for summer
Whether you use it for relaxing or entertaining, your deck can be the focal point of your backyard. Get it in tiptop shape for the season with these helpful tips.
Clean it up: If you’re only going to do one thing to prepare your deck for the season, make sure that one thing is to clean it properly. First, get rid of any leaves or debris that have built up during the winter and give the deck a good sweeping.
After that, Henry Hogeveen, owner of Ottawa Valley Landscaping, suggests using a pressure washer to strip away any dead wood and to give the deck a nice, smooth finish.
“But you have to make sure you’re careful with pressure washers though,” he cautions. Pressure washers are powerful tools and if used improperly they can damage the wood. If you don’t have a power washer, an oldfashioned hose and a brush will work just fine, although “it takes a little more elbow grease,” Hogeveen says.
Next, Hogeveen suggests using a wood cleaner to give your deck a bit more shine; they’re great for taking the dead, grey surface off the wood to restore it to its natural beauty. Many wood cleaners are biodegradable now and can be found at most home improvement stores.
Choose a finish: Finishing a deck is optional, but it’s a good idea, says Hogeveen, since it will help extend the life of the wood. New decks can be finished a few months after they’ve been built and the wood has been given a chance to dry. Older decks should be refinished every two or three years if the finish has faded or peeled.
Choosing a finish that will work with your deck depends on what your deck is made of: Natural wood decks, like cedar, can be painted or stained; pressure treated wood can be treated like natural wood but has a green tint and will affect the colour of finishes; and more expensive composite-wood decks can be stained but don’t necessarily have to be.
As for choosing between paint and stain, that depends on your personal taste.
“Stain allows the texture of the wood to show through; you’ll see the knots and the wood grain. Paint is more opaque and covers the wood,” says Hogeveen,
Prep it: Finishing your deck should be 95 per cent prep work and only five per cent actual finishing, according to a release from Sansin Corporation, an Ontariobased company dedicated to environmentally friendly wood finishing. Hogeveen adds you’ll get a nicer end product and save time in the long run if you take the proper steps to prepare you deck for finishing.
Whether painting or staining, sand your deck first with a fine sandpaper. This helps to open the pores of the wood and allow the stain to seep further into the it, ultimately ensuring a longer-lasting stain, Hogeveen says.
Don’t forget to clean off all the sawdust when you’re done.
Finish it: Ideal weather for finishing is 20 C and overcast; hot or sunny weather can cause the stain to dry before it can be absorbed by the wood and can result in a flaky finish.
Hogeveen says stains are best applied with a brush, while paint can be applied with either a brush or a roller. “The general rule of thumb is two coats,” he says.
Show it off: Once your deck is cleaned and revamped, it’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy.