Deck Maintenance
With every install we we clean the area for you - we can also build in to the quote with wooden decks to treat it for you which we highly recommend as although the boards are treated they do not repel water and will dry out. Without treatment they will stain and soak in marks etc. When contacting us please remember to discuss although we will probably ask.
We also offer an annual clean and clean and treatment for wood - it is recommended to clean and treat your wooden deck at least once a year
Wooden Decks
Maintenance is key for a wooden deck to last.
Once we've finished laying the deck we advise to treat the boards straight away to repel water and protect against staining and drying out - this can cause the boards to split.
Lots of choice are available to use however our own recommendation is Ronseal Ultimate decking oil, this is dry in 4 hours and does exactly what it says on the tin! we advise two coats initially then once yearly after a good pressure wash.
Simple clean as and when, soapy water and a broom or a pressure washer!
Movement due to weather and temperature - wood moves in the hot and cold and dry or wet. As the boards are screwed down you tend to simply notice larger gaps and smaller gaps, where possible we use the appropriate spacing dependant on the weather but this isn't a perfect science.
Composite Decks
No treatment is required on the newer generation decking as they come with better UV guarantee's. A simple pressure wash when required. For stubborn stains simply use a a non bleaching cleaner or washing up liquid.
Older composite deck are prone to fading and drying out - you can use decking sealer which will bring the board back to life and add depth of colour.
Movement due to weather and temperature - composite is affected by heat As the boards are clipped down you tend to simply notice larger gaps and smaller gaps, we use a 3mm metal clip or a 6mm plastic clip so spacing between the boards in general should remain constant. If boards are butted up on longer runs you will notice movement where it will closer or further away depending on temperature. Again in normal installation weather we tend to use a 3mm space.
We try where possible to design the decks in a way that we don't need to butt boards up to avoid this problem as you'll see in the image gallery we tend to stick to full board decks.