Safety Month – Week 3: How To Inspect Your Deck Boards

It’s important to inspect your deck boards. Not only do they form the surface upon which your guests will walk, they are also out in the open, vulnerable to all weather effects. Although deck boards themselves don’t cause a deck to collapse, they can create tripping hazards or weak places where someone could fall through.

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Safety Month – Week 1: How To Inspect Your Deck’s Understructure

So, you’re planning on rejuvenating your deck for the summer? Before you start making your deck beautiful again, take time to make sure it’s safe. Your number one concern should be providing a structurally sound surface for your friends and family.

Always follow local building codes when inspecting your deck and use proper safety gear to protect yourself.

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Deck Safety Month: Get Weekly Safety Tips

May is Deck Safety Month, making it the perfect time to fix up your deck. Getting started now will give you enough time to finish projects before the summer parties hit.

Safety is a vital aspect of your deck. After the winter snow and the spring rain, your deck needs to be inspected for out-of-place or broken components. Doing this now rather than later will give you ample time to order new material and fix any problems.

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3 Easy Steps To Maintain Your Deck in Fall

Fall has arrived and winter is knocking at the door. A lot of times we shut the doors and focus on what are we going to do in order to stay warm and cozy and don’t even think about our outdoor spaces.

Believe it or not, this time is very crucial in the maintenance of your deck especially if you want it to continue looking beautiful for those warmer spring and summer months. It’s pivotal that you sweep off dead leaves and wash down your deck from time to time. Leaves that are left on the deck can wind up in between each deck board. This can then continue to accumulate and develop into a serious drainage problem when the snow begins to pile on or the rain starts to pour. How bad of a drainage problem? Water can begin to collect on the surface of the board, and with nowhere to go, can lead to the cupping and warping of your deck boards.

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Do You Need Frost Footings For Your Stairs?

Frost footings help keep post movement down, whether it's on your deck posts or stair posts.
Frost footings help keep post movement down, whether it’s on your deck posts or stair posts.

Traditionally, deck stairs land directly on a patio made of concrete, stone, or a material other than soil to prevent rot and decay. These landings can shift freely with frost movement. Frost movement is the rise and fall of the soil due to underground water freezing and expanding. Recently there have been some concerns regarding frost movement and the stair’s ability to withstand the fluctuations. Typically, stairs have more freedom of movement than the deck, but some builders argue the stairs should be supported just like the deck. This topic is a grey area because it all depends on each deck’s situation.

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