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Maintaining Your Deck and PatioWestern red cedar is known for its durability, making it the perfect wood for your deck, outdoor furniture or greenhouse. Because of its natural preservative oils, resistance to the elements, stability, and exceptional surface for staining it is unmatched in its exterior use. Western red cedar is quite versatile and accepts a variety of stains and coating to create the particular look the homeowner wants.
You will need to apply a surface finish soon after construction to prevent surface degradation. Semi-transparent stains and water-repellent preservatives will help to capture and maintain the beauty of the wood. You will need to select a finish that contains water-repellent fungicide and mildewcide, and protection against ultraviolet light. Follow the guidelines from the finish manufacturer. Apply a finish when moisture content has stabilized at the level that will prevail during the life of the wood. (TIP) Lightly scuff smooth cedar with sandpaper before applying the finish. You may need to re-apply every year or so, to ensure your wood remains beautiful. Cedar Furniture Care Water Sealer To maintain the natural color of your wood, apply a water sealer to protect from water and sun. You may want to re-apply every year or so depending on the exposure. Natural Cedar furniture does not have to be finished. If allowed to age without finish, the wood grain will raise slightly and the wood will naturally finish to a silver-gray color with darker streaks. To Maintain You can change the color of your wood with an exterior stain, with a ultraviolet inhibitor. You may want to re-apply every year or so as with the water sealer to maintain balance. Oil Lind seed oil or teak can be rubbed over the wood, this will deepen the color and slow down the aging process by repelling water. Paint on outdoor furniture will eventually blister and peel. Stain is the much preferred alternative for adding color to your furniture. The Backroad Home is a very unique site that basically covers every facet of country design. Click here-> The Backroad Home Time-tested advice and design ideas to help you plan, build, landscape and maintain your country home and outbuildings.
We are all familiar with the importance of preparing our home’s landscape for winter so we can hit the ground running with a beautiful yard and garden in the spring. Whether it’s trimming, pruning, planting bulbs, transplanting or mulching, there are a number of things that can be done in the fall and winter that virtually guarantee a more successful lawn in the spring. The same can be said of your wood deck. Most people think of lawn tasks, but deck maintenance is of equal importance. Investing just a small amount of time before the worst weather hits can make all the difference in how your deck will look and perform as the temperature rises. Western Red Cedar decks are loved for their unmatched beauty, and many homeowners with wood decks are familiar with the regular maintenance needed to keep it looking its best. Even decks made of Western Red Cedar, one of the best performing wood species for outdoor applications, need occasional maintenance to keep them in top shape. Regular “spring cleaning” enables a wood deck to last for years, even decades. To make your spring maintenance easier, it is recommended that you do these simple tasks right now: Remove Dirt and Debris Sweep away all leaves, pine needles and branches from your deck. If you have a large quantity of leaves, you might consider cutting back the trees and bushes that drop the foliage. Eliminate all debris from between boards. Dirt and leaves can build up, causing standing water or other moisture to stay on top rather than drain through. Proper ventilation is crucial to avoiding moisture build up. Eliminate Mildew Mildew should be removed as soon as possible after it appears. Allowing it to grow untreated, even in the winter, can lead to additional damage. There are a number of commercial products that can be purchased at any home center or retail lumberyard. And there are some simple solutions that can be made from common household cleaners. The WRCLA suggests killing and removing mildew with a simple solution made from items you have in your home right now. Using a common garden sprayer, combine 3 quarts of water, 1 quart of oxygen bleach --Oxyclean and Ajax Oxygen Bleach are two of the most popular brands -- and 1/4 cup of ammonia-free liquid dishwasher detergent within the spray canister. Apply the solution liberally to the surface and allow the mixture to set for about 10-15 minutes. The bleach will kill the mildew and the dishwasher detergent helps emulsify the mildew to aid in its removal. Liquid dishwasher detergent works better than regular dish or laundry detergent because it will not foam. After allowing the solution to set, simply rinse the surface clean. For tougher mildew stains, apply the solution with a soft bristle brush. Pots and Planters Setting planters and pots directly on a deck’s surface may cause staining. Since there are drain holes in the base of potted plants, moisture that runs off never has a chance to evaporate between the deck and the planter. Consider removing planters or moving them around on a regular basis to decrease the effects. To create space between the deck and planters, place planters onto 2” x 2” cedar. Cedar has natural compounds that form a resistance to deterioration, rot and decay -- it is these same compounds that give cedar its unique fragrance -- and the extra space created by the cedar will allow moisture to evaporate. Adding cedar stand-offs underneath other large objects like storage boxes, benches and umbrella stands can also go a long way to promoting a healthy deck. Using Your Deck During the Winter If you are going to be using your deck regularly during the winter for hot tubbing, barbecuing, or even sitting around an outdoor fireplace, or open fire pit, here are some simple tips to safeguard against doing harm to your wood: If wood will be covered with snow and you are going to be shoveling it off, run the shovel lengthwise on the boards. Shoveling cross-wise can scratch or cut into the wood. A plastic shovel will also be more forgiving than metal on both the finish and wood. And if possible, avoid salt or other ice melter's. They may discolor or damage some wood finishes. Planning for the Spring With some initial maintenance and repairs already taken care of, you will have more time to tackle other projects once the weather improves.
Complete the outdoors with great patio accessories
Backyard Makeovers for Decks and Ponds Your Terrace, the extra summer room
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