Here we look at maintaining your garden decking. Decking is very popular and look gorgeous in any garden. It provides a very flexible addition to your home. As with most things it requires a little maintenance. Follow these tips below for a long standing beautiful deck:
- Sweep it regularly with a hard broom and hose down to maintain a good deck.
- Remove debris between the boards using a putty knife.
- Use a decking cleaner to remove any moss, algae or dirt from the decking. Aim to do this twice a year. Ideally once in the spring and once in the autumn.
- Do not use any chlorine based bleach for cleaning as although it will clean the deck it will break down the lignin in the deck timber which holds the wood together.
- A jet washer can be used to clean the deck but do not use a heavy duty one. It needs to be smaller than 1500psi. Allow the deck to dry for several days before applying any type of finish.
- Soda crystals can be used to remove some stains. Water the deck, sprinkle the crystals, and allow to dry before washing away.
- After thoroughly cleaning add a decking oil. Even though your deck has been pressure treated in the manufacturing stage it will need to be maintained. Apply the oil with a brush and add two coats.
- If your wood starts to look tired and grey it need oiling.
- Never drag heavy objects on the surface of a deck to avoid damaging the wood.
- Move planters, chairs and tables occasionally to avoid discolouring the decking.
- Trim nearby bushes and trees.
- Don’t let leaves and debris pile up in corners.
- Keep nearby gutters and downspouts in good repair.
