You, surely, are ready for spring. How about your deck? Is it long since you stepped outside? Or at least, took a close look at its condition? Don’t let time go by. Do it now! Spring is almost here and before you say Jack, you’ll want to spend more hours outdoors than indoors. How can you do that – and have a ball, if the deck is not fully prepped?

And when it comes to deck springtime preparations, there’s more than meets the eye. To put it on the table with one single sentence, your deck’s lifespan depends on your actions. Without proper maintenance, even the durable exotic ipe outdoor decking will – at one point, wear. Why let it? Let’s see what you can do to breathe life into your exhausted from the winter deck and make your spring & summer evenings more joyful. Ready?

Inspect the deck – every inch

You won’t know whether you need a deck contractor or some washing would do if you don’t check every inch of the structure. So, start with that. As for the cleaning part, this is always needed. You need to remove debris, leaves, dirt – use the broom. Then let water run. If there are some hard stains, remove them with a brush. It’s good to do all that when the weather is nice so that the wood deck will dry quickly.

Start by cleaning the deck. Then inspect it. If you do things the other way around, debris may camouflage some damage. You don’t want that. Once you clean the deck, inspect all parts of it – the boards, the stairs, the railings. Your goal, at this point, is to see if there’s some damage, mold, a problem that must be taken care of before you and your children move outdoors.

Do the required deck repairs

If you have discovered some glitches, the required deck repairs must be done before anything else. Common problems? Deck splitting, rotting, damage…Some boards may be loose. Some nails may be protruding. There might also be some gaps between the boards. All such problems are quite serious since they often show deck wear and may also cause safety concerns. Unless the problem is trivial and the damage limited, it’s best to call a deck company to handle issues.

Is it time for deck staining or painting?

Since not all outdoor decking materials and not all timber species are the same, the need for staining varies. After all, it also depends on the deck’s exposure to the elements, if it’s covered with a wooden pergola, how old it is.

But it’s good to have the deck stained once in a while to keep its color from fading and protect the material from the elements, the UV rays included. Both excessive heat and moisture are bad for wood. So, staining it is.

Then again, if you have the cedar deck for quite some time and its color is completely changed – not to your liking, you may also paint it. This is a way to change the looks, style, personality of the backyard too.

How does the deck look now? Empty? Dark?

Once the deck is clean, fixed, and stained, take a deep breath. The boring part of your deck’s prep for the spring and summer is over. Now you need to consider the extras.

• Are you satisfied with the outdoor deck lighting? Or prefer to add some more lights? Make sure the area around the stairs is well lit.
• How about some heat source? It’s still chilly, especially when it gets dark. You could add a firepit.
• You didn’t say, is there a deck covering? Or is now the time to order a custom pergola?
• Go check your deck furniture too. Are they good to serve you this summer as well? Or time to get some new chairs – maybe, a dining table too? Hurry. Spring is here. Summer won’t be long.