How to Maintain Your Deck

You've got your deck built, now how do you take care of it? Regardless of the material used to build your deck, there will be some maintenance involved to keep it in good shape for many years. I will go through some maintenance techniques for a variety of decking materials.

Natural Wood Decking

Power washers are not advised on wood decks. Pressure washing a natural wood deck can erode the lumber and splinter it. An oxygen bleach solution and a brush broom work great to clean and get rid of any algae that has grown on it. It will not remove the natural wood color or erode andy joists hangers or nails. Don't mistake this with chlorine bleach which is toxic and can damage it and any surrounding plants you may have on it.

Composite Decking

There isn't a lot of maintenance to worry about with composite. However, what you really need to worry about is adequate drainage and protection against staining and mildew build up. Power washing is not recommended, it may damage the finish and damage the decking material. There are a variety of deck cleaning products on the market to give you that protection. Just be sure to really read the instructions and do a test spot to avoid discoloration or deterioration of the surface of the deck. Stains for grease or oil can permanently stain your composite deck, so can wine. These types of stains should be cleaned immediately using a dish soap with degreaser. 

Pressure-Treated Wood

This type of deck can fade to a gray silvery color. It's recommended to use a sealer to protect it from rot, decay and insects. You can you a power washer to get rid of mildew build up. When using one be sure that you use a sweeping motion so you don't concentrate on one spot, the top layer of the wood can splinter.

Enhanced Lumber

Maintenance for these types of decks is easier than any of the other decking materials. You can power wash them, they don’t stain and they don’t deteriorate. For example, DreamDex decking is imbued with a polymer so power washing removes the top layer of cells on the deck. This brings it back to its original color. All decking materials can get mold or mildew on top of the surface but Enhanced Lumber decks can be cleaned by power washing or by using a product like Jomax® Cleaner which will not damage the surface. To further preserve the color and enhance maintenance sealers such as Superdeck Clear Finish or Sikkins Clear Finish can be used.

Talk to your builder or talk to someone at a home improvement store for more resources on how to clean and maintain your deck. They be able to suggest certain products that work with the specific type of deck that you have. Taking good care of your deck will allow you to enjoy it for many years.