How to Care for Your Decking in Autumn and Winter
Summers on its way out and autumns on its way, no better time of year to do some maintenance to your decking before the cold weather sets in. Doesn’t matter if you have a composite deck or a timber one its essential to do annual maintenance on your deck to keep it in good shape and make it last as long as it can.
Here are some items to add to your to do list.
Caring for Timber Decks
Rain and even snow are an inevitable part of the British weather so this is the perfect time to stain your decking to give it some extra protection form the elements. You will need to choose a dry day one that’s hopefully also sunny would be preferable. Now start with cleaning your deck and removing any moss or debris. You can use soap and water to do this but you also have the option of using a wood restorer to prevent it growing back if you prefer. Now your finished leave your decking to dry for around 2 to 3 days before your start sanding.
If your deck has previously been painted, varnished or stained you will need to get rid of the coating by stripping the surface.
Once the decks been stripped, cleaned and is dry its time to apply the stain. Due to the condition of the weather at this time of year its recommended to use a faster drying stain. Apply stain will help your decking look better as well as making it last longer, restoring natural oils and protecting it from the weather.
During autumn you should be vigilant toward clearing any fallen leaves or branches from your decking as they can cause staining or even rot if left.
Caring for Composite Decks
A huge advantage of composite decking is that they require a lot less maintenance than their timber counterpart. Just keep on top of clearing leaves or branches and just give it a good clean. No need for sanding or stripping just grab yourself an appropriate decking cleaner and your all set to go.