Spring is finally here. That means plenty of entertaining, grilling, or just enjoying a nice evening after work on your deck. But, before anything, it’s also time to consider the overall health of your deck.
If your deck is over 10 years old, doing a thorough inspection of your joists, connecting fasteners, ledger, and railings is a must. For older decks made of softer materials like cedar, redwood, and pressure treated decking, it might be time to consider replacing your deck altogether. Softer woods tend to rapidly decay and near the end of their lifespan past the 15 year mark (especially old pressure treated decks!). Instead of glossing over that old wood with a temporary stain, replacing your old deck with an exotic deck material is a safer, more reliable choice. Species like Cumaru, Tigerwood, Ipe, Garapa, and Massaranduba offer you over 25 years of hassle free use. (Ipe has a proven lifespan of over 75 years!) They’re also priced comparably with composite decking. Unlike the plastic wood decking, the decking species we offer give you that authentic look like synthetic material just can’t match.
But, what if you already own an exotic hardwood deck made of Ipe, Cumaru, or Tigerwood? Simple. In many cases, you’ll have to do nothing expect give it a gentle power wash with a fan tip. If your deck is a little faded and you want to bring back that lively color, all you have to do is apply one coat of deck oil. We recommend either Messmers’ UV Plus, or Ipe Oil. Both are perfect for dense hardwoods.
Now, before you cringe at the thought of oiling your deck. For many of our customers, oiling a deck takes less than a day. Think about how much time you’re forced to manage and clean the interior of your home. How many hours do you, or someone else have to clean the inside of your home? Add it all up and that one day ends up being a lot less time than you think. Besides the reward of enjoying at a beautiful deck like the one above is definitely worth it. Not only will you get more enjoyment out of your deck, you’ll also make your neighbors jealous (especially if they’re stuck with an old wood deck, or a fading plastic one!).