Decking areas in gardens can look beautiful. If well maintained and well looked after they can stay looking as good as new for years. However if left uncared for they can quickly look unkempt and unattractive.
If you are lucky enough to have a lovely garden decking area, or are considering putting some garden decking down, read on for our top tips on how to maintain this area to keep it looking in prime condition.
Typical Decking Problems
Because decking is exposed to the outside elements there are a few issues that decking usually suffers from. Loss of decking colour, build up of moss and mould and the unsightly appearance of cracking, flaking and peeling decking are all common problems.
Therefore the type of treatment that you need to look after your decking depends on the problems that you have with your decking. If your decking has been neglected and hasn’t been treated before then it is likely that you will have to combat most of the above problems at the same time.
The good news, however, is that these common decking problems are pretty easy to be resolved and decking is quite simple to restore and bring back to its former glory.
Where to Start
Before taking on the task of decking maintenance it is important to firstly understand what needs doing. Therefore you must look at the condition of your decking and then figure out the desired look and outcome that you are wanting to achieve.
Perhaps your decking is faded due to overexposure to the sun, in which case it could just be a simple case of deck sanding down and then giving it a good lick of paint. Or perhaps you have a problem with mould, if your decking is under the shade of trees or bushes, in which case you will want to be removing the mould and protecting the wood from further mould and mildew from growing.
So be clear on the problem and your desired outcome before you get started.
Preparing the Decking
When taking on the task of cleaning and maintaining your decking it is best to choose the best time of year for this job. Generally spring and summer, when it is dry and warm, is the best time of year to take on this job as wet weather can seriously throw a spanner in the works if you don’t plan it properly.
Washing the decking down firstly with a pressure washer is a good place to start. This will remove mould, mildew and dirt that has built up over time. If you don’t have a [amazon_textlink asin=’B009QX8ANQ’ text=’pressure washer’ template=’ProductLink’ store=’mygardening411-21′ marketplace=’UK’ link_id=’7bc6c7fd-70ac-11e7-bce4-c38d64ab9406′] a stiff broom will work just as well, but it will just require a little extra elbow grease.
Don’t be tempted to use a household detergents as this may create problems if you are applying decking stain, paint or oil after cleaning.
Final Touches
After cleaning, you may want to sand down any damaged areas. Once it is all clean and properly sanded you can then set about repainting, staining or oiling the wood. You may then want to add an extra layer of protective varnish to set the paint and keep it look as good as new for as long as possible.
