If you have a deck, you are aware of the severe conditions that can be caused by mother nature. The sweltering heat of the sun, pouring rain, freezing rain, and snow all take their toll. It is possible that a freshly stained or painted deck will require more maintenance the following year.
Ten to fifteen years is the typical amount of time an individual may expect their wooden deck to last. On the other hand, if you take the time to properly maintain it, you could get many more years of pleasure out of it. In addition, having a deck that is regularly maintained can help reduce the risk of getting hurt.
The presence of some of the following issues on your deck may be an indication that it is time to either repair or replace it:
The Wood Has Gone Bad
If you have a deck and you find a patch on it that is mushy, that is a good indication that the wood underneath has rotted. If you want to obtain a sense of what’s going on, you can use a screwdriver to poke into soft places. In the fall before last, I did that, and as a result, I had to replace numerous boards.
Loose Flooring
It is not uncommon for the floors in a building to fracture as a result of the weather. This does not necessarily imply that there is something wrong with the situation. However, if you go on your deck and see that the floorboards are loose, it is likely time to replace at least one of the boards. It’s possible that the wood around the screws decayed, which caused the boards to become less secure. If you notice any boards that are bowed or not flat, you should think about replacing them because it’s possible that someone will trip over them and fall.
Unstable Handrails And Railings
Railings are essential since they can protect you from tumbling off the edge of your deck if you aren’t paying attention. Railings on staircases allow people to ascend and descend them in a secure manner. If you notice railings that are unstable, you should fix them as soon as possible to avoid causing you major damage.
Posts In Bad Condition
Deck posts are normally fastened to your concrete footings, and they contribute to the deck’s overall stability by helping to anchor the railings. They often have a very long lifespan. Because I discovered that the floor around the posts on my deck was rotted, I had to replace numerous floorboards. The posts were up to standard. On the other hand, if you have multiple posts that are damaged, this is yet another repair that needs to be done as soon as possible.
Insect Damage
Insects can do a tremendous amount of damage to your hardwood deck if they are allowed to go unchecked. These are the ones you need to keep an eye out for.
Termites. They particularly enjoy eating wood and other things that contain cellulose, such as outdoor carpets and rugs. Each year, they are responsible for more than five billion dollars worth of damage to property.
Carpenter bees. They do this by boring tunnels into the wood and drilling into it, which causes structural damage.
Carpenter ants. These are the large black ants that you can come across when walking around on your deck. I was completely unaware of their harmful nature. Destroying wood so that they can use it for their nests is their primary objective.
The presence of the following signs may be an indication that there are insects and damage on your home deck:
- They are plainly visible to you.
- The ground is covered in wood shavings Spongy deck boards
- The sound of hollow wood
- Sunken wood Rot
- To minimize major damage, contact your local pest control specialist for aid.
Our team at LeBlanc Decks are deck-building professionals with several non-negotiable practices that we follow during the construction of each deck project. It’s these types of standards that allow us to offer you the best finished product possible.
Our services include a new deck, deck rebuild, re-deck, deck railings, pergola, pavilion, patio cover construction, stairs, and steel framing.
Contact us today at (865) 919-3470.