A wooden deck can make a beautiful addition to your home. However, as with any wood product, your new deck will need to be cared for to protect it from the elements. Nature can be cruel to your wooden deck. As soon as construction is done, you need to consider staining and sealing your new deck. The damaging effects of outdoor weather on unprotected wood begins immediately and can damage your word forever.
Water is probably the biggest threat your new deck. Dew can form on wooden surfaces and rain, snow, and ice can all be absorbed by your wooden deck like a sponge. Direct exposure to sunlight and to the heat of the sun causes wood to shrink. This cycle repeats constantly. You have periods of rain followed by periods of Sun. so the wood of your deck dris out and is then saturated with water. Eventually, your wooden deck will warp, split, and crack. This only exacerbates the problem as water can penetrate deeper and deeper into the wood.
Unprotected wooden decks are also subject to turning gray and losing that beautiful wood tone color. This graying is caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. It is very similar to a suntan that a person would get. You wouldn't go to the beach without suntan lotion. Your deck needs the same kind of protection from the sun as you do.
To protect your deck you need to protect it from both water and the sun's ultraviolet rays. There are many types of water repellents on the market specifically designed for decks. You want to use a water repellent that is made for decks. These repellents are specifically designed for high traffic areas and horizontal surfaces. They come in both oil-based and water-based finishes. Water repellents work by soaking into the wood and forming a barrier against moisture.
To protect your deck from the sun's ultraviolet rays, you need to apply a stain. Stains contain pigments that protect the wood from ultraviolet damage. Stains come in a wide variety of transparency. A semi transparent stain, for example, will allow much of the wood grain to show through. The stains with no transparency will totally cover the wood grain almost like a paint. However stains are different than paints. Don't use paint on your wood deck. You also have a choice of textures when you're using a stain on your new deck. Some stains are absorbed right into the wood with no coating at all. However some stains have a slight sheen to them which makes your deck look a little glossier.
One last product that you deck may need especially if you're in a heavily wooded area would be a wood preservative. Wood preservatives are useful in repelling fungus and for keeping insects at bay.
So as soon as the last nail or screw has been put into your deck is time to think about finishing your wood to protect it from the elements Sun, water, fungus, and insects are all hazards to your wooden deck.
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