How to Maintain your Decking in the Winter

Today’s guest post is a great one for all those of you who suffer with damp, slippery decking in the Winter months! I know we do, so I’m taking good notice of this advie. Enjoy!

 

With the winter months just around the corner now is the perfect time to act and protect your decking. If you have the luxury of having your own garden, it is more than likely that you will have used the garden to socialise with your friends and family this summer. One perfect area for this is decking, which means it gets a lot of use and thus more likely to cause wear and tear. Below is some advice to help maintain your decking in order to increase its longevity.

Cleaning:

The easiest and most cost-effective way of maintaining your decking is by cleaning it. This may sound obvious but you would be surprised how many people neglect to clean their decking. Firstly you need some bleach, bucket, stiff brush and a water supply. Start by sweeping away any mould or debris that may have formed on top of the decking, repeat until the deck is completely clear. Now mix bleach and water according to the correct ratio on the back of the bottle in the bucket. It is always best to use oxygen bleach as this is more environmentally friendly and won’t harm any nearby plants. Scrub the mixture into the deck, leave for around 15 – 20 minutes and wash off with a hose pipe or pressure washer.

If you have had your deck for a few years and are struggling to clean it with the bleach/water solution,  you may need to use something stronger. One great tip would be to use the Ronseal decking stripper. This works by removing old paint coats and strips back to the bare wood.

Prevention:

Like with most things in life prevention is always better than the cure. One great way to ensure your deck has a long and healthy life is by giving it a coat of decking paint such as the Ronseal version.  By giving your deck a coat one or two times a year this can have a fantastic effect. Not only will it make your decking look fantastic it also provides important layers of protection. Its UV filters help maintain colour and the stain also protects against knocks, scuffs and waterproofs.

Survive winter:

It goes without saying the worst time of the year that can cause potential harm to your garden and decking is winter. This means it requires more attention in these months in order to keep it in tip-top condition. If you intend on using your deck in winter it is very important to keep on top of the cleaning and sweep away any debris that may form. If you don’t intend on using your decking it would be advisable to cover it with a thick protective sheet and secure down to prevent movement in strong winds. Also move any furniture into a garage/shed or cover with protective sheets.

So there you have it some hints and tips to keep your decking in pristine condition for many more years to come.

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