One of the more popular means of enhancing your home’s curb appeal with an exterior remodeling venture is through deck installation projects. These extensions offer a wide variety of benefits to homeowners and even commercial spaces and have been growing in popularity since their introduction to the mass market between the mid-70s and early 80s.
One of the elements any individual should keep in mind when hiring Cambridge MA Deck Builders is the maintenance of the decking setup they have in mind. Although you can hire a professional to take you through every step of the installation process, maintenance needs are generally left to the homeowner. The regularity required with some activities in this venture makes hiring a professional to handle a significant and recurring investment.
Some key issues you should keep in mind when caring for a wooden deck include:
Regular Sweeping
One of the primary reasons that wooden decks suffer sudden deterioration is the accumulation of debris over time. It’s worth noting that your deck is subjected to a continuous barrage of different elements throughout the year, leading to the build of dust, soil, ice debris, dead leaves and melt water to name just a few. Allowing such elements to build up on the porch will significantly damage the overall structure in the long run. Giving your deck a quick sweep each morning is a great way to ensure that none of the aforementioned debris accumulates and causes havoc on your porch – plus it only takes a few minutes to accomplish. If you’re working with natural hardwoods or composite decking, using a hard bristled brush and some warm water with your sweeping endeavors is a good way to get at any stubborn skid marks from the surface. Jet washing the area, however, isn’t recommended for wooden surfaces.
Staining vs. Sealing your Surface
It’s crucial to apply an additional protective cover to your decking surface when looking to enhance longevity. In the past Cambridge MA Deck Builders have argued over which works better as a protective cover when it comes to staining vs. a sealer. Both alternatives are generally designed to accomplish similar objectives, with the main difference being that stain products always have a pigment in their composition to darken the shade of your lumber to give it a richer hue, while most sealers will lack this tincture. One of the unproven arguments in the market over stains vs. sealers is that the former plays a better role in protecting the decking surface against harmful UV rays, while a sealer is better suited to protect against water and moisture damage. However, it should be noted that manufacturers generally design these products to offer both benefits with their application. What should be the main focus is the quality of the particular brand in use.
Regular inspections
Last but not least, you need to ensure that your schedule an official inspection of your extension at least once a year, or three months before you plan on putting your home on the market. This will allow you to work out any discrepancies concerning building codes that would reduce the potential resale value of the residence. Hiring an official inspector is a good way to catch any underlying problems before they become extreme and overbearingly expensive to address. In some cases, your inspector might be able to catch problems early enough for you to address them as a DIY.
For reliable deck inspection and installation services in the market, call us today! Dexksos, your top rated contractor!
