Fall is the most important time of the year to have your deck inspected, repaired, and stained before the rainy season sets in. This will increase the life of your deck and add thousands of dollars to the value of your home.
Deck structure:
Most decks are built on a wooden superstructure, and supported by a concrete footing / foundation to prevent sinking into the ground. This structure is traditionally shown on engineering drawings and was approved by the city planning department prior to the issue of a building permit and construction of the deck.
Posts and beams are placed on top of the concrete and further support the deck floor, railings, and stairs. The main decking (floor) is either pressure treated wood or cedar. Hardware to connect the wood members may include items such as: screws, hangars, hangar supports, nails, hurricane ties, bolts, and many specialty items such as hidden nail strips.
Deck inspection:
Whether the deck is built of cedar or pressure treated wood some common items to look for include the following: cupping of deck boards; cracking; splitting; screw holes too deep; screws too high; staining; weathering; rot; mildew; insect infestation; rodent damage; sinking; twisting; loose boards; structural damage; improperly built structure etc. A professional deck builder follows the local building code and knows how to examine, repair or rebuild items needing attention. A deck must be able to support heavy loads without collapsing and injuring people or property. It is just as important as your interior house structure. Only qualified professionals should be trusted when it comes to your deck structure and family safety.
Repairs and staining:
Once the repairs are completed, the deck is then cleaned and prepped for staining or re-staining. There are many types of stain and colour combinations available from many suppliers. Consult a professional to ensure you choose the correct product for your deck. Applying the wrong product is a costly mistake.
Application of stain is tricky and requires years of experience to master. Stain must be applied to a properly “prepped” and clean surface at specified moisture and temperature conditions otherwise it becomes patchy, uneven, sticky or gummy and won’t dry. Many handymen have become frustrated at this point and then need a professional to remove the “sticky goo” or patchy mess, and re-prep the entire deck. Re-doing a sticky / patchy stained deck is labour intensive and costly. It is much simpler to have experienced Vancouver painting and deck professionals do it right the first time. It saves stress, money, and time.