Concrete Patio Vs Wood Deck

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Concrete Patio Vs Wood Deck – Wood decks, if left for the ravages of nature, can rapidly deteriorate from that clean, shining wood surface you so admired as soon as your deck was a novice to a dingy, gray, mildew and dry-rot infested eyesore. If the damage is usually for the deck surface, quick relief is along the way with the cleaning and resealing methods I recommend below. Before you begin, though, you must have a look underneath to make certain dry rot hasn’t found its way to your deck.

Checking for Dry Rot and Making Repairs. Dry rot is often a fungus that forms in moisture soaked wood, generally in places shaded from sunlight. Left untreated it’s going to spread and destroy the integrity with the timbers, resulting in structural failure. Seek out diligently. It will hide of your stuff in locations that take time and effort to achieve, often under the deck where boards and timbers meet. Use a screw driver or similar tool to jab at wood, searching for the tell-tale cardboard-like texture that offers little effectiveness against your probing. Don’t be fooled by painted boards that look sound. Dry-rot can hide behind a layer of paint and turn into tough to notice until you probe. Badly damaged supporting timbers and deck boards must be replaced. If the damage isn’t severe you’ll be able to chip away the loose wood fibers and apply a fungicide product including Bora Care or Shell-Guard. Many people report great success with using anti-freeze to help remedy the affected area. If a significant area of a timber is damaged, consider removing that part and replacing it with a tight-fitting plug that you epoxy into place. (Follow recommended safety guidelines whenever using epoxy.)

Cleaning the Deck Surface. Even after just one season new decks, or else properly treated, can lose their original luster and turn a dingy gray. Ultraviolet rays in many cases are to blame. Grime, mold and mildew could also detract from your appearance your deck. Before you start work with the actual surface cleaning, make certain your deck has proper drainage. Clean the cracks relating to the surface boards with a pressure nozzle on the garden hose. (As tempting as possible, avoid using a pressure washer. Even if used judiciously the power with the spray can break the soft fibers with the wood, giving your deck a grainy and fuzzy appearance.) Where stubborn grime remains inside the cracks relating to the boards, utilize a putty knife or saw blade to just how for water to drain. This is especially important near a house where winter snow can trap water and make up a pool inches deep.

The next line of attack is to apply an oxalic acid-based wood cleaner including Wolman DeckBrite Wood Cleaner & Coating Prep or Armstrong’s Wood Cleaner. The oxygen bleach products don’t contain chlorine and are stable around plants and animals. The main ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, sometimes inside a liquid solution or perhaps dry form with soda ash. As the solution soaks in the wood, oxygen ions breakdown mildew, algae, and dirt.Another approach, should you be dealing mostly with mildew, is to you could make your own cleaning solution with 3 quarts water, one quart of oxygen bleach, and a quarter cup of liquid dishwasher detergent. Use the ammonia free type. The oxygen bleach will kill the mildew and also the detergent will help in its removal. After allowing the cleaning means to fix indicate 10-15 minutes, scrub with area with a medium-stiff brush, either on a pole as being a push broom or down on hands and knees in case you are just like me and you also wish to put your muscles to your work. The final step is to rinse it clean with a garden hose.

Apply a Quality Deck Sealer. Allow your deck to dry when you apply any sealer or stain. Then go with a day if you are confident that you won’t have any rain for the following 24 to a couple of days. You shouldn’t attempt to apply stains or sealers over existing paint or stain as the sealer will not penetrate the wood. You can test this by sprinkling somewhat water on the deck. If the water beads and it is still on the outside after quarter-hour, you need to return and take off the prevailing stain. When it comes to deciding on a sealant there are numerous items to consider. Natural oil sealants aren’t recommended as the oils turn deck green or black. Also the natural oils function as food for algae and mildew. Most clear sealants will not provide much protection against UV ray damage.

Among the best option is pigmented sealants as it is the pigments that absorb UV rays and diminish the discoloration so often seen on wood decks. An epoxy sealant, including DEFY Epoxy Fortified, has chemicals that both deflect sun light and absorb harmful rays. It is often a water based formula that comes in a variety of colors including natural pine, cedar, and redwood. Tinted finishes add color without hiding the natural wood grain, while semi-transparent stains combine color, allowing some with the wood’s grain showing. The semi-transparent stains provide longer protection than tinted finishes. If you have grown sick and tired with cleaning and your wood deck every several years, you might be willing to consider another option-paint. A great choice, but tricky to apply, is often a new paint that is often a blend of water-based urethane and acrylic resins, including the Sears Weatherbeater Ultra. The advantage is that the coating last for quite some time. Although decks can require a lots of maintenance to make sure they’re looking sharp, additionally, they offer numerous years of enjoyment.