deck repairs Archives - All About Decks

Get Your Deck Ready for Spring, Graduation Parties, & BBQs

March 23, 2020
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NOTE: This blog was written before the current world health epidemic. With heavy hearts and at the same time hopeful optimism, we’re posting this blog for its useful content for the future. We can still pressure wash or build your deck at this time, but contact us for any updates because things are changing by the minute. And always feel free to call with questions. We’ll get through this together. After we do, we’ll come over and celebrate on your safe, sturdy deck.

Keeping your family safe is the most important job year-round. This task becomes more challenging as the weather gets warmer and brings in the season of entertaining on your deck. With spring and summer come graduation parties, BBQs, and many other opportunities to entertain family and friends. With more people using your deck, it is imperative that you ensure your deck is safe for your guests. If you’re planning on entertaining on your deck this upcoming season, here are some spring deck maintenance and repairs you may want to consider.

Power washing

Once the weather warms up, it’s important to have your deck cleaned before you attempt any other repairs. The best way to do this is by having it power washed. Power washing will remove any of the dirt, debris, and mold. It also removes anything that has accumulated on your deck throughout the winter months.

On average, you should power wash your deck once a year, and doing it after winter is a great time to get it done. Having your deck power washed prepares it to be inspected for any further needed upkeep or repairs.

Repairing Rot

A common repair that decks may need after a harsh winter is the removal of rot. Whether just early signs of the wood chipping away, mold formation, or a more advanced case of wood rot, you’ll need to have it removed immediately. If your deck wasn’t well-maintained through the winter, rot may have had the chance to form and worsen. Rot is a dangerous condition that can impair the health and structure of your deck. At the beginning of the spring season, we’ll inspect your deck for rot and will take care of it right away before it gets worse.

Repairing Boards

Your deck may be susceptible to cracked or warped boards. Cracked boards can break, causing injuries to you and your guests. If the damage is minimal, you can have individual boards replaced to keep your deck safe and beautiful.

An even better solution is to take care of your deck by having it washed, refinished, and sealed on a regular basis. This way you’ll be able to prevent cracked or warped boards and avoid the chore of having them repaired.

Checking Joints

Checking the joints is another important deck repair to do before you entertain people on your deck. Joints can rust and corrode over time and they may eventually need to be replaced. Have joints and other hardware checked for signs of wear. If they look like they need to be repaired or replaced, a professional can take care of them.

Deck Expansion

If you enjoy entertaining, you may want to be able to fit a large number of people on your deck. If your deck is on the smaller side, you may want to consider expanding your deck’s size. Creating more deck space can involve simply adding additional foundation, support, and deck boarding, or can involve more intricate plans that involve multi-level deck space, built-ins, such as planters, and much more.

Deck Staining

Finally, deck staining is one of the most important spring deck maintenance measures you can take. The winter weather can wreak havoc on the wood of your deck. The hot summer sun can dry and discolor your wood or wood composite deck material.

Entertaining throughout the summer can also cause your deck to see a lot of wear and tear. Periodic staining and sealing of your deck will help you preserve the beauty of the materials used to build your deck. If your deck hasn’t been stained in a while, you may want to look into getting it stained to keep it looking great and free from preventable damage.

All About Decks Omaha is here to serve you and help with your spring deck maintenance, whether you need deck repair, power washing, cleaning, staining, refinishing, or a whole new deck.

February 28, 2020
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Wood rot is one of the most dangerous hazards for a home. Not only is it bad for the aesthetic of your home, but it can also be hazardous to you and your family’s health and safety if left unchecked. Many homeowners deal with rot every year, but why? What causes wood rot, and how can you stop it from happening?

What is Wood Rot? And What Causes It?

Wood rot is a type of mold that seeps into the wood structure of your home. It can be both external and internal, and once it has made its way into your home it can spread quickly. This type of rot is extremely harmful to the integrity of a home.

Wood rot can cause your house to become flimsy and weaken the structure. This can lead to more damage to the home itself, as well as to anyone who is in or on its premises.

Types of Wood Rot – Dry Rot and Wet Rot

Wood rot is one of the leading causes of damage in decks, buildings, and homes. Both types of rot require the same things to occur — moisture, wood, oxygen, and warmth. The difference between dry rot and wet rot is that dry rot only needs moisture to form, but then once the moisture content lowers it can still spread and continue to form.

Wet rot, on the other hand, needs a continuous source of moisture, such as from wet weather or a broken or leaking pipe. In order to fix wet rot, the source of the moisture must be contained, then the affected timber can be replaced.

Dry rot is more challenging to remove because it is the most damaging wood-decaying fungus. In most cases, samples of the affected wood need to be tested to confirm that dry rot is present. Once that’s done, a professional should be called in to assess the extent of the dry rot damage.

What are Signs of Wood Rot?

If you’re worried you have developed a rot problem in your home, there are a couple of signs you can look out for:

Soft spots in the wood
Black spots
Rings of moisture
Odd or musty smells
Black fungi
Crumbling timber
Cracked wood

If you notice any of these signs, you should have your home checked immediately by a professional. The earlier you can identify and stop rot, the better it is for the integrity and structure of your home.

How Do I Treat Wood Rot?

Treating rot can be difficult and is even more challenging when the rot has had time to grow. Always seek professional advice when treating rot. A professional can come in, assess the damage, and take proper steps. These steps may include applying a chemical to stop the rot, removing and replacing the damaged pieces of wood, and creating better ventilation systems to prevent future rot.

How Do I Prevent Rot?

Of course, it’s better to deal with a problem before it becomes one. To prevent the formation of dry rot in your house in the first place, it’s important to do a few things. First, make sure you inspect your pipes and water entry and exit points frequently, as leaky pipes can contribute and cause the rot.

Also, make sure your house is well-ventilated to keep moisture from gathering too long. Lastly, maintain your interior and exterior paint, finish, and stain on all wood surfaces, utilizing the services of a licensed painting contractor. Paint is an effective way to prevent rot and maintaining your wood surfaces will help seal them away from moisture and keep the rot from forming.

We offer free deck inspections in the Omaha and surrounding areas. Get in touch today and we’ll take a look at your deck and other wood in your home to see if you have any of these easily preventable issues in your home.

December 19, 2019
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Maintaining your deck is an important part of ensuring that your deck lasts for many years. As the temperatures continue to drop here in Omaha, it’s time to think about doing important winter deck maintenance and preparation work. This will help you maintain the quality of your deck throughout the winter. Here are a few steps you should take now to help keep your deck sturdy and usable through months of wind, cold, rain, and snow.

Clean It Up

Bring anything you don’t want to be damaged during the winter into your garage, basement, or other storage areas. If you have planters, chairs, umbrellas, or grills sitting on your deck, now is the time to move them inside. Move furnishings and other items from your deck to a safe place for the winter. Then give your deck a thorough sweep and remove any natural debris or trash that may have piled up throughout the fall months. This will ensure the least amount of moisture is trapped on your deck throughout this season.

Wash it Down

It’s not just enough to pick up around your deck. Giving your deck a thorough washing before the winter chill sets in will help keep your deck free from anything that will cause damage. Small amounts of debris can cause abrasions to your decks surface, and mildew will spread through the wet winter months and can cause serious damage.

Check for Defects

If your deck has any major repair needs, you should check for those now before winter truly sets in. If you need maintenance, you may not need to wait until summer to get it. Check out our list of deck maintenance tasks you can get done in the winter to see what you can fix now before it gets worse.

Shovel the Snow

While tedious, it is important to shovel the snow off your deck throughout the winter months. Use a rubber-tipped shovel (not a steel-tipped shovel) along the grain of the wood. This prevents damage to the deck’s finish. Doing this frequently prevents accumulation. If you have a dusting of snow, consider using a broom instead of a shovel to remove the snow. Avoid salting your deck if possible, as it can ruin the finish of your deck and corrode the fasteners and other metal parts.

The wintertime brings the joy of the holiday season and the upkeep of our home’s exterior. This includes the decks we love to utilize during the warmer, dryer months. Take these few steps of winter deck maintenance and preparation now and, come spring, you’ll enjoy a problem-free deck with little or no maintenance needed.

If you live in the Omaha area and all this sounds like a lot of work that you’d rather not do out in the cold, we are your Year-Round Deck Company. We’ll come out and do whatever is needed to make sure your deck can handle all the effects of winter. Reach out today.

CALL US: 402-541-3803

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