Deck Repair

In addition to regularly cleaning and resealing your deck should also be inspected for any damage that needs to be repaired. Loose nails or boards should be secured and boards with dry rot damage should be replaced. But if the damage has occurred, your first step is to determine the extent and cause of the damage and make the necessary preparations for the deck repair. If dry rot or water damage has occurred, be sure you find the source of the problem so you can make the needed deck repair. Look for drainage issues and clear out any clogged drain pipes or other irrigation problems.

Before you get started with the deck repair you should first clean the deck. There are a number of deck cleaners available and all you need to do is to find the right one for your deck construction. In order to make a good cleaning and avoid further damage you should use short, sweeping motions and move smoothly with your tool across the surface to get a constantly cleaned surface.

In the next step in the deck repair you should take a screwdriver or awl in order to test places where the wood looks like it might have dry rot. If the wood is soft it should be replaced, otherwise the piece can be saved. If you have a dry rot problem than it is essential, in order to make a good deck repair, that all affected boards are removed and disposed of in such a way that other timber does not become infected. In case you have problems with loose nails, the proper way to solve them is to replace the nails with longer, thicker nails that will have a better hold.

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