Deck Maintenance protects your investment and helps it to last longer.
Coffer Custom Remodeling, LLC provides deck maintenance service to restore the look of your deck and repair any loose or damaged boards. Annual maintenance is the best; wood decks need a thorough pressure washing and restaining every year to protect the wood against weathering damage from the sun, rain and snow that causes graying and surface erosion.
If your deck has gone without cleaning and wood sealing for a few years we can help with that too! Over time, the beauty of a natural wood deck can lose its luster as the ultraviolet rays from the sun break down the wood’s structure. If the deck has taken on a dull gray color, it must first be thoroughly cleaned and allowed to dry for several days before a deck preservative is applied.
Nature‘s elements aren’t the only thing hard on your wood deck; just like the hardwood floors in your home, your deck is vulnerable to scratches and gouges. Your dogs' nails and even high heeled shoes can scratch the wood if you aren't careful. Remember to lift furnishings before moving them onto or across your deck, keep your pets' nails trimmed, and think of your deck as another section of flooring in your home.
The only way to protect your deck successfully over time is to apply a deck preservative. There are sealers, stains and paints on the market especially designed for deck use. Aesthetically, they look very different, but they protect wood decks from moisture damage, fungus growth and ultraviolet light.
The most important thing you can do to protect your wood deck (and your investment) is to apply some kind of deck preservative on a regular basis, making sure you do it correctly. For example; homeowners who use a pressure washer against the grain of the wood, or use too of a high pressure setting, can cause unsightly cut marks that won't go away without a detailed sanding. Applying sealer in cold weather, before a rain, or on damp wood, could keep your deck tacky and sticky for days or even weeks, never producing the lustrous finish you want. What's worse is that any mistakes you make this year will come back to haunt you next year and the year after that.
Let Coffer Custom Remodeling, LLC take care of the annual chore of deck maintenance for you and simplify your life. Even composite decks can benefit from a good cleaning every year, to keep them looking their best by removing any film that has accumulated from dirt and pollen.
Our deck inspections can identify and correct potential deck problems.
Inspect the ledger board
Most wood rot occurs in places that are hard to see, like at the ledger board, which is the piece of framing that attaches the deck to the house. A damaged ledger board is the main cause of all deck collapses. There should always be flashing installed above the top of the ledger board to keep water from leaking in behind the deck at the house and causing rot.
Check the framing
We check joists, posts, and beams to make sure they are not loose, damaged or rotten. We also make sure to check the stairs where the stringers under the steps meet the ground. We then look for cracks in the joist that may have developed around nails or screws, which could weaken the integrity of the deck.
Check all hardware
We check all the metal brackets, especially joist hangers, and replace any that are seriously rusted.
Inspect the deck boards
Over time, nails can partially work their way out of wood deck boards and cause injuries. Wood decking can also weather, dry out, warp and crack if neglected. Not all cracks are a structural threat, but they’ll get worse with time. If we find damage, we will replace the board. Dirt and leaves can also accumulate between the deck boards which promotes rot.
Check the railings
Railing should be strong. If you can push on the top of your railing and it moves a couple inches, it’s not strong enough; railings should be able to withstand 200 lbs. of pressure along the top rail in any direction. The current requirement for railings is that the balusters be spaced so that a 4″ sphere can’t pass through. This is a requirement so little kids don’t get their heads stuck.
Coffer Custom Remodeling, LLC can inspect your deck, take care of your annual deck maintenance, or completely restore your existing deck. We make it easy for you to have a beautiful, well cared for deck, just give us a call at (612) 999-5306 or click on contact us.
