Maintaining your decking

Wooden decking looks spectacular, but it does require maintenance to keep it in good condition, especially during the Summer months. To help out, here are some of the things you might want to do throughout the year to keep your chill-out area in tip-top condition.

1. Keep It Clean

The first step is not to let grime or dirt build up. As this is an outside area, you are going to find it gets covered in dust and soil as well as leaves.

Regular cleaning with a power hose on a fairly low setting can help stop problems from building up. You’ll find that mould and mildew quickly build up if you leave your decking to the elements. A quick wash down every so often will make all the difference.

Make sure you take the time to clean between joints and remove any dirt or soil. Use something like a putty knife for the groves and sweep the debris away. Then employ a standard wood deck cleaner before giving everything the once over with your power hose.

Cleaning up after a party or event on your decking also makes sense. If you have a barbecue, make sure that any spilt grease is wiped up fairly quickly.

2. Sealing Your Decking

One of the things you will need to monitor is whether your decking needs to be resealed. Hopefully, a reseal should only need to be carried out once every few years. When water starts to get into the wood it can cause big problems with dampness and rot set in.

There’s a simple test you can do to see if it is time to reseal the wood. Take a small glass of water and pour it onto your decking. If it beads, it’s okay. If it seeps into the wood, you more than likely need to reseal it.

3. Preparing for the Seasons

You may want to do some maintenance a couple of times each year, usually in the Spring and Autumn. This means giving your decking a good clean and sweeping away any debris, especially in the late Autumn after all the leaves have fallen. If you notice mildew developing, deal with it straight away with either a shop-bought product or a solution containing water and vinegar.

When it snows during the winter, it is advisable you clear this as soon as possible. Use a flat shovel and work with the length of the wood rather than crosswise to avoid cutting into your decking.

Spring is usually a time when we get to work in the garden, so don’t forget about your decking either. A good clean and tackling any repairs puts you on an even keel before the summer starts in earnest.

4. Planters and Pots

Many people have pots on or around their decking. These can cause a problem if the planter drains t onto the wood. The water doesn’t get a chance to evaporate and can cause the wood underneath to rot. There are two solutions to this.

• You can move your pots around at regular intervals to give the decking a chance to breathe.

• You can make sure that the pots have suitable protection underneath them so that the water doesn’t get into the wood in the first place.

The good news is that regular maintenance can help keep your decking in pristine condition. Most jobs take less than half an hour with the right equipment and will prolong the life of your decking