Is your deck winter ready?

By Bill Yurgen

For homeowners with wood decks, Deck Rescue has become something of an institution here in Northeast Ohio. The company’s signs are seen everywhere, especially in the spring and fall. Anyone who has attempted to refinish a wood deck knows just how difficult it is for the average homeowner to bring back the natural beauty of the wood’s original stained surfaces, and what a bargain it is to have these well-trained experts do the job instead.

A Bright Idea
Properly cleaning any deck in preparation for the application of the protective finish is the critical first step. President and Founder of Deck Rescue Dave Hydock explains why.

“All of the gray wood fibers should be removed and any mold or mildew must be killed for a lasting, beautiful refinish on your wood deck, log home, wood-stained home, gazebo or fence,” he notes. “In addition, we use a deck brightener that oxygenates the wood, making it more porous, which in turn allows the sealant coat to penetrate deeper. By deck brightening, we can increase the longevity of the treatment by as much as 50 percent over traditional methods and potentially save the homeowner thousands of dollars over the life of the wood structure.”

The Option of Wood Stripping
Some homeowners suffer with decks that were improperly stained or have decks that they wish to alter the color on. For those situations, Deck Rescue offers the option of a deck stripping service.

“We use a 100 percent biodegradable stripping enzyme that typically strips away 90-95 percent of the old stain and has proven to work well for most refinishing jobs,” Dave says. “Fall is the perfect time for deck stripping versus doing it in the spring.”

For those who wish to have the wood fully stripped, the labor-intensive task of sanding the old stain off the remaining surfaces can be better accomplished in the fall, rather than during the spring rush when everyone wants a warm-weather-ready deck all at once.

Toners vs. Stain vs. Solid Stain
Having gone through the difficult task of properly preparing the deck’s surface, most DIY types (and those who claim to know deck maintenance but really don’t) would use a traditional stain for the protective coat. Deck Rescue arguably has a better approach.

“Traditional stain often requires stripping with each subsequent treatment. Solid stain is even more problematic,” Deck Rescue Northwest Cuyahoga County Owner Tom Anthony says. “Some people enjoy its appearance, but solid stain tends to bubble and peel. This is especially true on horizontal surfaces during the winter months, where snow and the expansion and contraction of the surface due to temperature variances has a ‘glacial’ effect on the coating, causing it to lift prematurely.”

“We offer both traditional methods of staining upon customer request. But our preferred method of using toners is also our most popular by far,” he adds. “Toners penetrate, seal and protect with translucent color that brings out the true beauty of the wood. It never has to be stripped for subsequent treatments and it is the ideal method of protecting your wood deck, log cabin, natural wood exterior, fence, play set or gazebo from the ravages of winter.”

Why Now?
Due to Deck Rescue’s popularity, its spring schedule fills up fast because people want to enjoy their like-new decks for the summer. If homeowners wisely elect to have their decks or homes refinished in the fall, they will benefit from having their wood well protected from the damaging effects of yet another winter. Rather than allowing the damage to be compounded, it is brought back to a like-new appearance. Your deck can be enjoyed immediately next spring, and you potentially save money by mitigating any additional damage.

More Tips from the Experts
For the best appearance, the experts at Deck Rescue recommend keeping your deck swept free of leaves in the fall and to avoid the use of rock salt or snow shovels over the winter. The company also offers a low-cost spring-cleaning service that freshens your deck for the upcoming season and further extends its life between refinishing.

For more information, visit DeckRescue.net. To arrange your deck rescue, contact 440-756-5654 or tanthony@deckrescue.net.