5 Common Mistakes to Avoid with Maintenance for Decks
Have you recently bought a home that has a deck in the backyard?
If so, you’re likely looking to learn about the best tips for maintenance for decks. By keeping up with the maintenance that your deck needs, you can build a relaxing backyard. Plus, decks are a great place to entertain a party or your friends.
That’s why today, we’ve created this quick guide to help you get a better understanding of how to properly perform maintenance for decks. Keep reading to learn more!
1. Neglecting Safety
One of the most common mistakes that deck owners make is forgetting about safety. When you’re cleaning your deck, you need to go over every part of your deck to check to make sure it’s safe to use.
You’ll want to make that the railing is secure. That way, the railing is stable enough to hold on to in case someone falls.
Also, you’ll want to make sure that the deck and steps aren’t rotten. If there are any rotten parts in your deck, get them replaced immediately. That way, the deck or steps won’t break if somebody steps on them.
2. Placing Potted Plants on Your Deck
Another common mistake that deck owners make is placing potted plants on their decks, without having any sort of saucer underneath the pot. This is because the saucers will collect extra water that falls through the planter when you water your plants.
Instead, you should place your potted plants somewhere else on your deck if you don’t have saucers. If you don’t, there’s an increased chance that your deck will suffer through moss growth, staining, and rotting deck boards.
If you’re looking to learn more about how to enjoy your deck, even without potted plants, check out this post.
3. Cleaning Your Deck with Bleach
If you’re trying to clean your deck to help maintain it, don’t clean it with bleach. This is because bleach can cause damage to your deck. For example, bleach can cause streaking in your deck staining.
Also, bleach can cause discoloration of the wood underneath the staining.
4. Using Wire Brushes to Clean Your Deck
Another way that you can damage your deck is by cleaning your deck with wire brushes. Using a wire brush can break up the smoothness of your deck. As a result, your deck will have splinters, and rough edges on the wood.
To keep your deck comfortable to walk on, you should use a brush that has plastic bristles.
5. Letting Debris Collect on Your Deck
Lastly, letting debris collect on your deck will cause great harm to the wood. This is because the debris collecting on your deck will attract insects that can harm the health of the wood in the deck.
Also, extra dirt and debris can hold onto excessive moisture levels. High levels of moisture for a prolonged period of time can encourage rotting in the wood of the deck.
Common Maintenance for Decks Mistakes
By understanding how to avoid these mistakes, you can ensure the health and well-being of your deck. Learning about maintenance for decks isn’t easy, but hopefully, these tips have helped you!
Are you interested in learning more about how to care for your deck? Check out our blog to learn more today!
Trevor Anderson wrote this article on behalf of FreeUp. FreeUp is the fastest-growing freelance marketplace in the US. FreeUp only accepts the top 1% of freelance applicants. Click here to get access to the top freelancers in the world.
HTV Native Ad Solutions and Hearst partners may earn revenue when readers click affiliate links in this article.