Every homeowner needs to get prepared for winter in every way possible. One of the things you need to prepare in readiness for the winter is your house exterior. You need to look at your deck and decide whether it is set for the winter season or not. In most cases, you will find that during the winter many homeowners experience problems with damages decking. This implies that the deck was not appropriate for the winter season. Therefore, Sherwood Lumber brings you MoistureShield decking which is the best for both the summer and winter seasons. With this type of decking in your outdoor, you no longer need to worry about maintenance, repairs, or even replacements. All you should worry about is how to prepare your deck for the winter.
Preparing your deck for winter will save you from spending more money, wasting time, and even wasting your effort. In that case, the steps below will help you a great deal during the installation.
1. Removing dirt, debris, and other objects on your deck.
These objects can cause a lot of damages and complications on your deck in case you leave them behind. It is on these objects that snow will build up and result in moisture formation. Moisture is one of the biggest threats to any decking material. Not taking care of this in time will end up damaging your deck and causing you so much more. In this case, a deck cleaner will do the task very fast and effectively. This is actually the most important step.
2. Clear any snow on your deck before it begins to pile up.
You can use tools like bristled push broom for the light piles and plastic shovels for the heavy piles. Do this with a lot of precautions to ensure you do not damage the structure. A metal shovel is very inappropriate in this case. You should also make sure that you are working parallel to the boards to avoid contact.
3. Avoid salting your deck for the winter.
This can interfere with the finishing of your deck hence forcing you to repaint after winter.
4. Storing the non-essential property
These include planter pots and non-essential furniture. By doing so, you will have protected them from damage by the heavy storm.
5. Seal your deck properly and give it an appealing finish.
Sealing your deck protects it from moisture damage and other possible damages, especially for the wood decking.
6. Clean your deck at the appropriate time and make sure it is free of snow and ice.
These are the important measures on how to prepare your deck for the winter. So long as you have all these measures in place, then you are ready for the winters. The only other thing worth considering is the decking material used and its tolerance level. Sherwood Lumber has you covered with the durable Moistureshield decks.