Do You Need to Prepare Your Deck for Winter?
Are you wondering how you can best prepare your deck for winter? Our expert Grand Rapids deck builders at Avio Deck Builders are going to give you five steps to make sure your deck is best prepared for the winter months.
Do You Need to Prepare Your Deck for Winter?
Clean Your Deck
The first step in winter deck prep is making sure it’s clean. Cleaning your deck helps make any damage more visible and easier to repair. It also helps remove debris that could pile up through the winter and decay/break down your deck. , last longer, and retain its value.
Store Extra Items
It’s a good idea to pack away your chairs, tables, grill, and anything else you want out of harm’s way in case of a severe storm or heavy snowfall. This way your appliances and furniture last longer and you don’t have to worry about moving them during winter.
Look for Damage
You want to make sure you replace broken boards/sections of your deck so they don’t get worse over winter. If you wait till spring to replace them, there’s a chance they will continue to break down during winter and you may not see it. This can potentially lead to injury if you go out on your deck and step in the wrong spot.
You are more likely to find damage when you’re actively looking for it. Some damage will be obvious and some not so much. It’s important to find everything that’s wrong so you don’t miss something that can worsen during winter and become a disaster later on.
Repair any Damage
Broken boards are a bigger and more noticeable problem, but damage to your deck could be as small as your paint or stain peeling off. Besides improving the general aesthetic, paint can help protect your deck from mold and mildew but it is not a substitute for actually treating/removing the mold and mildew.
Moisture, which is especially prevalent in the winter months, is the root cause of mold and mildew. When your paint/stain starts to peel off, that exposes the wood and allows for moisture to set in and for mold/mildew to grow. Be sure to to help your deck stay safe and last longer.
Examine Your Joists for Rot
Joists are horizontal structures generally of wood or metal meant to provide structural support. It’s common for joists to be assembled in groups parallel to one another, especially in floors and ceilings. Because your joists provide structural support, their integrity is vitally important.
Due to their position, the sun is unlikely to dry them out making it easier for moisture to build up which tends to happen around the nails and screws. If this persists, your joists will become more and more damaged until they are no longer structurally sound at which point they’ll need to be replaced.
Contact Our Grand Rapids Deck Builders
Are you looking to replace your current deck or maybe build another one? Our deck contractors in Grand Rapids, MI offer free quotes and fast installation. Call us today at (616) 608-9713 or fill out our online contact form.