Put It on Your To Do List: Winterizing Your Deck

Your wood deck has supported you all summer; now it’s time for you to return the favor. In fall and winter, decks take a lot of abuse from wind and rain, leaves piling up, and then ice and snow.

To ensure that your deck is barbecue ready come spring you need to prepare it for the onslaught of weather that’s coming soon. Here’s what you need to do sooner rather than later. Winter will be here before you know it!

The first step is to evaluate the current condition of your cleared deck. Sprinkle water on as many different areas as you can and see what happens. If water soaks right in it’s time to reseal but if it puddles your deck’s seal is probably sufficient to make it through another winter.

A once-over to check for splintering, rot, warped boards, cupping, popped nails, mold, and mildew is important. Making repairs now before harsh weather arrives can prevent further damage.

But assuming the seal is good and everything is in good condition, the next step is giving your deck a good cleaning. First sweep up dirt and debris, paying special attention to the spaces between boards where soil can collect. A leaf blower can speed this up! Then wash it with the deck soap formulation that’s right for the wood and rinse carefully.

Winterizing your deck may cost you a weekend of apple picking but the payoff will last all year because you’re not spending a lot to undo neglect.

This story originally appeared in our monthly newsletter, Prime Time by Jerry Enos Painting company in Massachusetts – to subscribe, contact us!

Categorised in: Decks