Treat Your Deck Right

Chances are you'd rather sit on your deck and drink an iced tea instead of spending a weekend refinishing it. But the fact is that regular maintenance of your deck will help it last longer and look better. To get the best results, make sure you choose the right products.

According to Larry Okrend, editor of HANDY Magazine, you need to take into account your local climate, the condition of your deck, the finished look you want and how often you're willing to treat your deck.

"Deck care products do four things," says Okrend. "They block damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, block moisture absorption, prevent the growth of mildew and impart color. Some products accomplish all of these goals to varying degrees. Others provide only limited protection or visual impact."

HANDY Magazine is one of the benefits for members of The Handyman Club of America, a great resource for do-it-yourselfers. The club's Web site provides a wealth of information on just about every kind of home improvement project. Members also qualify for valuable discounts on products and services.

Experts such as Okrend provide tips and tricks of the trade for everything from woodworking to plastering, as well as testing products so members won't have to learn the hard way. "I recently spent a couple weeks researching what makes deck treatments different and how the ingredients affect how well they really work in various applications," says Okrend.

Here's a look at the pros and cons of different types of finishes:

• Clear water repellents, water-repellent preservatives - Since they don't contain pigment, these finishes won't change the color of the wood. This makes them the easiest to use since uneven application and lap marks won't show. Repellents effectively prevent wood from absorbing water, which prevents rot; however, they provide little or no protection against the sun's UV rays.
• Solid-color stains - These finishes provide an attractive appearance and superior UV blocking. The down side is that solid-color stains form a film on the wood's surface that is more susceptible to abrasion and peeling. Applying a solid-color stain can be a time consuming project.
• Semitransparent stains - These products are created by adding pigment to a water-repellent preservative. The addition of pigment means the finish will last longer because it blocks more of the UV light. Semitransparent stains aren't quite as easy to apply as clear water-repellent preservatives, but they require much less work to use than many brands of solid-color stain. "Longer life than clear water repellents and easier application than solid-color stains make this finish the logical choice for many, if not most, wood decks," says Okrend.

The bottom line is, regardless of the product you use, regular maintenance is essential for a long deck life. It's a good idea to put a new coat on every year or two instead of waiting until the finish fails.

For more useful how-to information, register for a free preview issue of HANDY Magazine.

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