Decking Maintenance Advice
Whether you have a small or large area of decking it can really transform the look and feel of your garden. When it is first laid it looks and feels amazing underfoot, however, after a year or two it can start to look tired, faded and can become extremely slippery underfoot if it isn’t maintained and treated annually. The wet, cold weather in the UK can make it extremely slippery to walk on and the wood will start to change colour and become patchy. Read our Decking Maintenance Advice and it will prolong its life and ensure it looks lovely and is safe to walk on.
Decking is relatively easy to maintain, but like anything exposed to the elements, some maintenance is required. Regular maintenance will ensure it lasts anything from 15 – 30 years or more and when it has been treated it will look and feel brand new again. Adding some pots to your decking area, comfortable seating or an outdoor dining table and chairs will ensure you can enjoy your outside space in the warmer months and often bring the comfort of the inside out.
Maintaining your decking is easy if you know how to, and you have the right tools and products.
Like with any surface inside, debris and dirt will build up if it’s not cleaned and maintained. We are all guilty of not noticing our gardens in the winter and then when spring is on its way we all have a big haul and tidy up which takes forever to get it ready for summer.
When any outside wood gets wet which it will do in the UK throughout the summer and winter it often starts to go mouldy, grow mildew and algae and this is when it will become extremely slippery and dangerous to walk on.
Giving it a regular sweep in the summer and winter will reduce the build-up of moss, mould, mildew, algae and debris. It doesn’t take long and will help you when it comes to stripping it back and re-staining it.
However much you look after your decking it will always be subjected to stains from the elements, from it being used, the odd drink or food being dropped as well as the exposure to the sunlight. This can make your decking look uneven in colour and quite tired as the years go on.
The odd stain from food or drink can be wiped up using a damp cloth and you can try using a spray of Eco Solutions Grime Go if there is a stain. Read on for our Maintaining & Renovating Decking Advice.