Making the Most of Wood Decking

Keep your wooden decks looking beautiful

Making the most of wood decking means keeping your investment in wood deck equipment looking good. Whether your wood deck design is simple or elaborate, a clean and neat appearance is a must. To get the most value from your wood decking supplies, you must first know what kind of wood decking you are dealing with. Then you must know how to care for it properly so you can get many years of service from it.

You can begin making the most of wood decking from the day you first look at wood deck designs. Planning the best way to build a wood deck is almost as important as the materials you choose. Once the lumber for the wooden deck arrives, here are some ways you can continue to protect your investment:

1. Inspect the lumber as it comes off the truck. Set aside any wood deck materials you feel are inferior grade.

2. Set the wood decking on stringers above ground until you get a chance to build the wooden deck. This keeps the wood from absorbing moisture from the ground.

3. Cover the wood, but not so tight that moisture cannot escape.

 

Understand the types of pressure treated lumber commonly used in wood decking

The EPA is phasing out the use of chromated copper arsenate (CCA) lumber because of high incidences of arsenic. Now you need to use other forms of pressure-treated wood deck materials when you build a wooden deck. These newer forms of wood deck materials come with a range of, options as well as a range of prices.
Try: The Taunton Press has an article that explains wooden deck materials known as pressure-treated lumber. Woodweb has wood decking information on how much you can expect wood decking to shrink or warp. You need to factor this into the cost of the wood deck materials.

Keep pressure treated wood deck materials clean

Periodic cleaning is an essential part of making the most of wood decking. While wooden decks may not need protective coating applied annually, they certainly look good for a longer time with a regular cleaning schedule.
Try: Tim Carter discusses ways to clean a wooden deck. He also discusses environmentally friendly methods of making the most of wood decking. You can also find ways to care for wooden decks on the HomeTips.com website.

Clean composite wood decking as well

While composite materials appear to be maintenance free, they still benefit from a periodic cleaning. It's easy to keep these low-maintenance wooden decks looking like new for many years.
Try: You can find tips on caring for composite wood decking from Fiberon. Portico also has information on caring for laminated wood decking.

 

• Always be mindful of the objects you place on your wooden decks. Some items may leave a permanent stain if they remain in one place too long. Consider using trays under flowerpots to help protect the wood from stain.

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