How to look after your decking
Decking seems to be increasingly popular in UK gardens. It’s easy to maintain, looks nice and the non-slip varieties prevent the surface from becoming very slippy in the rain. We installed decking in our previous home and absolutely loved how it looked and how easy it was to keep clean. But if you don’t look after your decking, it can begin to deteriorate and may not last as long as you’d live.
How long does decking last?
Wooden decking should last for up to 15 years, if it’s properly looked after. However, it could be considerably less than this if water gets to it and begins to rot the timber. Composite decking, despite being more expensive, could last up to 25 years, meaning you will likely get more for your money.
How to protect decking
In order for your wooden decking to have the longest lifespan, you need to look after it and protect it. So how exactly can you do this?
The best way to prevent your decking from rotting and to keep it in tip-top condition is to regularly sweep it. As leaves fall onto the decking, they can begin to rot, creating quite a slippery surface. As it rains, the decking can get quite wet and you may even notice moss beginning to grow on the surface as well. All of these things can decrease the lifespan of your decking. Therefore, every now and then, perhaps once a month or so, you should take any furniture away and use a brush to get rid of any leaves, moss and other dirt.
To prevent too much moisture from getting into the wood when it rains, you could have flashing tape installed. This special butyl tape can be applied to the foundation when your decking is installed. This protective layer can help to prevent rot and wood decay, increasing your decking’s longevity.
What is the best treatment for wood decking?
If you haven’t had flashing tape installed, you may be wondering what the best treatment for your wood decking is. There are tonnes of products on the market, but which is the best?
Personally, we’ve found that Ronseal’s Decking Protector is the best if you want to seal your decking every year. The natural colour means that it doesn’t stain your decking. Instead, it provides a nice clear seal that should keep the wood from splitting or being affected by the sun. You will need to apply the product annually to fully protect your deck, which is why you may prefer to have something like a flashing tape installed that will protect the deck without any extra work on your behalf.
Why is my decking rotting?
Rotting can occur when water gets into the wood and causes it to decay. Just like wooden beams in a home can be subject to dry and wet rot, so can your decking. This is especially the case if the water is allowed to sit on the deck or cannot drain properly from underneath.
You’ll be able to tell when your deck is rotting if:
- there are soft spots in the wood
- there are areas of greyish mould or darker wood
- you can see areas of pest damage.
Drainage is so important, which is why decking should be built on a very slight slope in the same direction as the grooves. Doing this encourages the water to slide off the surface and hopefully increases the longevity of the wood.
How to keep a wood deck from rotting
As I’ve mentioned above, you can generally protect a deck by cleaning it regularly, ensuring that you remove any excess moisture that could cause a problem. However, the most common cause of rotting is too much water in the area. This water could be caused by sprinklers, excess rain, plumbing problems, etc.
If you don’ think that the current drainage system is good enough, you may wish to get an expert in to look at the current system and see what can be done to encourage the water to drain away.
