If you have a deck on your house, you know it takes a beating. It's constantly exposed to the elements, and it's always being trampled on by both people and pets. In fact, there's probably not too much that your poor deck hasn't had to deal with. Water, dirt, algae, bird droppings, bugs, humidity, harsh sunlight, snow, mildew, grease, mold, dust, hail ... you name it, the deck has seen it.
With all that a deck must withstand, it's a wonder any of them survives four seasons, much less the decades we expect out of them. And this is where you, the responsible deck owner comes in. There's not too much you can do about what Mother Nature throws at your deck, but there's a whole lot that you can do -- that you need to do -- to protect it.
Advertisement
Most deck owners know they need to clean and seal their decks every year or so to keep everything shipshape. But it's the little everyday maintenance tasks that will really extend the life of your deck in the long run -- and make the big cleaning and sealing jobs much easier. If you're attentive about keeping debris off the deck and noticing small problems when they arise, you'll be able to stay ahead of the game and avoid major disasters.
On the next page we'll go into more detail about how ensure that your deck stays upright, clean and safe for years to come.
Advertisement