The deck is a beautiful, useful, and valuable part of your home, so it is worth maintaining well. Here in Connecticut, the weather can be quite hard on exterior wood, so it is vital that you keep your deck protected with stain and/or sealer. But how do you know when your deck needs to be sealed?
1. Appearance: If the finish on your deck looks uneven, patchy, worn thin, or flaky, it is time to treat the wood. The current coating is beginning to fail, and you need to protect the deck before our long New England winter has another season to attack it.
2. Water test: Your deck should repel water. Try dribbling a bit of water on the wood. If it soaks into the wood quickly, your deck is in trouble. However, if the water beads up on the surface in puddles and droplets, you are probably in good shape. Do this test on a few different areas of the deck to make sure it is all in good condition.
3. Wood integrity: If you have wood on your deck that is showing signs of deterioration, you probably need to paint or stain it. Wood deterioration could include splitting or splintering, soft spots and rotted boards. If this process is much advanced, the wood will probably need to be replaced before you restain or reseal your deck.
Should I Pressure Wash my Connecticut deck?
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If your deck is looking dirty, pressure washing is probably a good plan. Mildew or mold can be green, brown or black, and it can be easily removed by careful pressure washing. Also, other surface contaminants from pollen, air pollution, dust and dirt can be likewise washed away. Use a spray-on mildewcide or deckwash and let it soak on the wood for a little while before rinsing. Scrubbing may be necessary in some areas. If you do the pressure washing yourself, be sure to keep the nozzle a consistent distance from the wood, make even strokes, and don't get too close to the wood or you'll score it.
Be sure to let your deck dry thoroughly (probably at least 2 dry days) before staining or sealing it.
Deck Repair and Stain in Connecticut
Southington Painting is a well-established, respected painting contractor in central Connecticut and the New England area. We provide a variety of services for decks, including deck stain, deck sealing, dryrot repair, pressure washing, and other related services. Feel free to contact us for a free estimate for our services. We look forward to hearing from you!
