Care for Wood Decks

The wet weather this spring has likely kept homeowners off their decks, but sunshine is on its way! Sunshine usually brings homeowners and friends out onto their decks to enjoy cookouts and the fresh air. Since most decks are made out of preservative treated wood, and the wood is exposed to the elements, it must be cared for in order to assure a long life span. Presented below are a few tips on how to care for your wood deck.

Keep your wood deck clean of leaves and debris. Leaves and debris can buildup and hold moisture on the deck, which promotes the growth of mold and mildew. Keep your deck clean by periodic sweeping or low-pressure washing with water.

Mold and mildew can even grow on preservative treated wood. Annual treatment with a water repellant will help keep the wood free of mold and mildew. Before treating the deck with a water repellant it is important to remove any existing mold and mildew. Many commercial products are available for this purpose, but mixing common household liquid bleach and powdered laundry detergent in water will work well.

Formula for Mold and Mildew removal:

 

 

Caution

DO NOT use a detergent that contains ammonia. Ammonia reacts with bleach to form a poisonous gas. Many liquid detergents contain additives that may react with bleach.

It is recommended that deck boards be treated with a water repellant preservative every year. Apply the water repellant preservative 1 or 2 days after the deck has been cleaned using a bleach/detergent/water solution. Proper care of wood decks will help ensure that they are safe and attain the longest possible life span.

 

Brian Bond

Assistant Professor

Extension Forestry, Wildlife, & Fisheries