Decking is a great way to improve your garden and outdoor space since it allows your house to extend to the outdoors for some much-needed sun.
However, it can experience severe wear and tear mostly during the autumn and winter nights. Over time, your decking will start becoming more slippery and begin to rot. This is why it’s necessary to know how to maintain your decking throughout the winter months.
Cleaning your decking’s timber is the first part of maintaining it, which should happen at least twice a year. Because of its material, algae/moss can start to grow in and around it.
Although these organisms are simple issues to ignore, mould growth can also be an issue since mould also prefers moist and damp environments.
Besides microorganisms, garden animals and insects can also chip away at your decking’s timber. Even though they won’t break it in major parts, small damages from rotting wood can cause your planks to break or come loose. Rotting can come from your metal screws, which can retain water and invite moisture to remain.
First, use a stiff brush to scrub off loose material from your decking. This includes grease, grime and other chipped substances. Then, apply a cleaning agent and scrub every surface of your timber. Using a garden house, dry all of the scrubbed contaminants and cleaning products off your decking thoroughly.
At the end, let your decking dry for two days before you use it. Perform this cleaning routine at least twice a year or when necessary.
Start the protection phase.
Preparing for the colder months isn’t something you’d call easy with all the things you have to secure indoors.
Besides your decking’s regular maintenance cleaning, you should also apply decking protection to your timber. It’s best to do this during autumn so that your decking can withstand the harsh temperatures of these colder months.
Choose between applying a decking protector, decking stain or stain. Although all of them generally provide the same level of protection, each one gives a subtle change to your timber’s gloss and colour.
After performing your maintenance cleaning, strip the decking of previous varnish or stains with a wood stain remover. Next, sand the surface with fine sandpaper to wipe off any remaining residue.
Drop the stain on a roller tray, then use a roller to apply the stain evenly on your decking. Ensure that you’re not overloading your roller since it can cause uneven patches of dark and lighter marks on your deck.
After letting it dry for a day or longer, you can use your decking again normally.
So, for all your decking timber look no further than the experts at Johnson Timber Supplies – call us on 0121 706 0404 or email sales@johnsonstimber.co.uk.