Lots of
people enjoy working in their gardens once the warm weather arrives. Here
are hints and tips for enjoying outdoor time with friends and family, in your
backyard! Less planning, travel, gas!
Soon I'll
have a new web site where you can pick which articles you want to read ... and
the newsletter will be shorter.
Feedback on what
information has been helpful to you is appreciated. Enjoy your summer!
Tina Gleisner, Your
Handy Woman
Cleaning Your Deck
Cleaning wood (new
and existing) opens up the wood's pores and sealers can penetrate up to 25%
deeper. 60 to 70 degrees F is ideal - cleaners don't evaporate too quickly and
sealants can seep into the wood vs evaporating too quickly. When using any type
of chemical, it's a good idea to water the surrounding greenery first and
cover with plastic that doesn't prevent air from
circulating.
There are numerous
ways to clean your deck
and lots of
controversy about pressure washing which can damage your deck if not done
correctly:
Pressure
washing - cleans with high
pressure streams of water to remove algae,
mildew and other stains. The wood fibers already weakened by UV rays can
be stripped and the wood must be sanded before the sealer is applied.
Chlorine
bleach - or sodium hypochlorite is NOT
recommended. It's great for killing germs but wreaks havoc on wood by removing
it's natural color, destroying wood lignin, corroding your deck hardware and
it kill surrounding vegetation.
Oxygen
bleach - doesn't remove the wood's natural
color, and is non-toxic to plants. It is safe on all woods except redwood which
should be cleaned with oxalic acid. For step-by-step directions to follow this
process visit Ask The Builder.
Sealing Your Deck
Unprotected wood is vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and water in any form. Wood that isn't sealed is subject to excessive shrinking and swelling which can result in cracking, cupping and twisting, which in turn causes nails to pop. Water that penetrates untreated wood can also accelerate wood rot. You have numerous choices for sealing your deck:
Sealants (oil based
vs synthetic)- traditional ones contain wood
protecting resins made from natural products (tung oil, linseed oil, etc.)
Unfortunately these oils are also food for mildew and algae. Synthetic water
repellants don't contain such food.
Stains - don't
chip like paint. They come in semi-solid and solid (not recommended) colors
similar to paint. The stain is absorbed into the wood and the pigment particles
absorb and deflect the UV rays and help protect the wood.
Paint - requires
more maintenance than stains or sealers. It chips and sometimes bubbles (if wood
absorbs moisture from below) rather than wearing away smoothly like stain.
Unfortunately once painted, it is very difficult (stripper may work or you need
to remove and sand boards on all sides) to change color or switch to a
stain.
IMPORTANT -
With numerous brands (SuperDeck and Sikkens get good reviews), the best
advice ... purchase a quality product at a paint store. You'll save money with
fewer applications - number of coats and/or frequency you need to reseal your
deck.
Building Your Deck
Start by listing how you'll use
your deck. To relax? entertain? cook? eat meals outdoors? How many people?
Furniture cutouts help verify the size you need. Consider your budget. You
might build your dream deck in stages as the average deck in
New England costs $14,723. The good news - you
should recoup 79% of the
cost when selling your
home.
Next you
need to draw up plans and get them approved by your town's building department.
Building codes are for safety, i.e. to prevent decks from collapsing and
injuring people.
You want good access
to your deck from inside your home (sliding patio door is most common) and
outside (one or 2 sets of stairs from your driveway or other high traffic
areas). You can enhance your deck with one/more of the
following:
Railings
(usually required if 18/more inches above ground); you've got lots of choices in
materials (see below) and they can enhance your home's exterior
Plan outdoor
lighting to
compliment your lifestyle
Built in seating makes good
use of limited space
Planters can add a nice
splash of color and bring the out of doors closer
Shade can extend
the time you spend on your deck - consider the use of arbors, gazebos or awnings
Lattice is
often used to enhance the appearance of a deck while providing great outdoor
storage for tools, sports equipment, etc.
For home owners who
want to tackle this project themselves, they should carefully study one/more
"how to" books like the Build Like A Pro: Build a Deck. The most difficult part of
building a deck is the structure below the floor. One of the top 10 handyman
repairs involves the ledger board used to attach a deck to the house. If not
flashed properly, water runs back into the house causing extensive wood rot. To
evaluate your readiness to tackle this project, read Ask the Builder's 15 Tips on Building a Deck.
My Handyman offers
"do-it-yourself" customers a unique partnership - let us dig the holes and build
the hidden structure. Then you can finish building your deck! We've also been
called to finish projects that homeowners start and find they don't have time to
complete.
Picking Your Deck Materials
You're tempted to go
with one of the new composite deck materials but you're not sure about the added
costs. It's true that the composites might add 50% to the cost of materials.
However, you want to consider maintenance costs over 20 to 25 years, the typical
life of a wood deck. Regular maintenance involves cleaning and sealing your deck
every 2 to 3 years so the cost of hiring someone to do this work will likely
exceed higher material costs.
Wood - pressure
treated is most common followed by cedar, mahogany and ipe ... all woods that contain natural chemicals that resist
UV rays, moisture and insects.
Composites - claim
they won't rot but most contain wood fibers (up to 70%) which rot unless treated
with a preservative like zinc borate. Get preservative information in writing
and follow instructions to keep your warranty in force.
Plastic - My
Handyman started using Procell last year. It's made of cellular vinyl with no wood
content. It's resistant to mold, insects ... plus stains and
scratches.
We found this material for a
customer who was replacing a deck around a pool where resistance to water and
stains, i.e. suntan lotion, is important.
Railings -
are often made from a
different material than your deck floor. Your choices include wood, vinyl,
composites, aluminum, wrought iron or glass panels.
Note: Regardless of
the deck material, most decks use pressure treated materials for the supporting
structure. DO NOT use a composite as they don't have enough strength.
Special Offer to Help You Build Your Deck
We appreciate your
business and look forward to providing you with great information, products and
special offers in the future.
Unprotected wood is vulnerable to ultraviolet rays and water in any form. Wood that isn't sealed is subject to excessive shrinking and swelling which can result in cracking, cupping and twisting, which in turn causes nails to pop. Water that penetrates untreated wood can also accelerate wood rot. You have numerous choices for sealing your deck:
You're tempted to go
with one of the new composite deck materials 