It might seem like removing snow off of a deck is a simple task. Take your snow shovel and put your back into it, right!? Just one look at this picture should tell you right away that it’s not that simple.
In fact, you can’t just use any ole’ shovel. You also can’t take a shortcut and use rock salt on your deck…that’s a recipe for disaster, no matter what kind of decking you have! You also might not want to let this much snow just sit on top of your deck and melt on its own. This begs the question…
What’s the best way to shovel snow off of a deck?
Think of it this way, shoveling snow on a deck is a lot like the first rule of shaving, “Go WITH the grain, not AGAINST it!” Using a plastic, or rubber-tipped shovel with rounded corners, gently shovel the length of each deck board. If you shovel across, you will scratch, or dent the decking. While you might be able to live with a mistake like that in winter, come Spring and Summer you will regret not taking your time to be careful.
For those decks that have a herringbone, or other pattern, extra care must be taken. I’d definitely invest in a nice, sturdy hard plastic snow shovel. Heck, I’d consider using a soft bristle broom over a metal snow shovel any day of the week!
Here’s another tip to keep your deck looking great over the winter months: Remove all plants, planters, and any debris that falls during the course of the winter.
If you have an older, or pressure treated deck, we encourage you to be extra cautious as the boards are fragile to begin with.
Questions, tips, or comments? Please use the comment field below. We’d love to hear from you!
My customer has a two year old deck she insisted on coating with an inferior water based UV coating. Naturally it didn’t last. Now I have to refinish. Is it better to pressure wash then sand the tigerwood or just stick with a sanding then wash down with soap and water and garden hose pressure. thanks
Pat,
You’re going to want to make sure that the other finish is completely off the surface of the material. This can be done with a sanding of the surface and then a pressure wash. Allow the deck to dry for about 24 hours. Then apply the oil finish allow to sit for about 5-10 minutes then back wipe the surface with a dry rag to ensure no excess oil is on the surface. This should all be done with temperatures at about 50 degrees or higher for at least 24 hours. The products we suggest using is Ipe Oil. I hope this helps please let me know if there is anything else we can do for you.