The weather has finally turned and gone are the sunny, warm days you get to spend outdoors enjoying the luxuries of your home’s deck. But don’t let the lack of use fool you – it’s still important to keep up on regular maintenance if you want to ensure your deck is in the best shape for spring use. Here are some steps on how to maintain your deck in the colder months of the year.
How to Maintain Your Deck this Season
- Clear fallen leaves regularly. If your own or neighboring properties have trees that shed their leaves during autumn, it’s easy for the leaves to pile up quickly on your deck. In Maryland, we see a bit of rain during the cooler months of the year, and when leaves are left to sit on your deck when it rains, your deck can easily succumb to mold and rot. This is why clearing your deck of leaves before they begin to really pile up is key to maintaining your deck’s health in the fall.
- Consider a waterproof sealant. Decking materials like vinyl and composite don’t need to be sealed to make them waterproof, but materials like wood are naturally susceptible to moisture damage. That’s why sealing a new wooden deck or re-sealing an older deck is a great idea for fall. The surface protectant will keep the wood from being exposed to moisture from rain, snow, and ice, leaving you with a dry and stable deck come spring.
- Practice safe ice and snow removal. You must be mindful when removing ice and snow from your deck if you want to avoid damage. Salts and other chemicals can ruin sealant, discolor the surface, and compromise deck stain. It’s also important to avoid using shovels with metal tips when removing snow and ice from your deck. These tools may be more efficient in getting thick snow and ice off of your deck’s surface, but they can easily scratch your deck’s surface and leave permanent damage.
- Keep an eye on branches around your deck. Whether the trees in your backyard are healthy or weak, heavy snow and ice can cause their branches to snap unexpectedly. This, at best, can create a mess on your deck, and at worst, can lead to deck surface damage if the branches are heavy enough. Regularly checking on the branches on trees outside of your deck to ensure they aren’t in danger of breaking off will help ensure your deck’s surface remains free of scratches, dents, or other damage.
J.F. Johnson Lumber Company’s Decking Materials and Installations
We are your best resource for building a new deck in Maryland. Our decking products include:
- Pressure-treated lumber
- Cedar wood
- Ipe wood
- PVC
- Composite
- Lighting
- Fasteners
- Under-deck dry area systems
- and more!
Come visit our hardware store and lumber facility today to see our products first-hand, or contact us to get tips from our deck installation professionals on building and maintaining your deck so that it’s protected and healthy all year long.
