How Sealing Can Prolong The Life Of Your Decks

Posted by nationallumber on December 19th, 2014

Decks enhance the beauty of our house, but to ensure our decks stay beautiful for years, proper maintenance is absolutely essential. Sealing and staining are the procedures which enhance the life of decks, while increasing their beauty. This article by National Lumber Co-the reputed dealers of high quality decks and Armstrong cabinets, talks about how proper sealing is done and how is it beneficial for decks.

What is sealing?

Decks are extremely vulnerable to the harsh elements of nature as well as man-made abuse.  Acid rain, ultraviolet light, heat and standing moisture in the form of rain, dew, frost, ice or snow, all can cause damage to your deck. Deck sealing is done to protect decks from such menaces as moisture and mildew.

How is sealing done?

Following steps are involved in deck cleaning:

• Step 1: A decking professional will typically use a solution of bleach and water to remove the water damage from the wood. Bleaching is done to bring back the original color of woods.
• Step 2: After that the deck will either be pressure washed or sandblasted to remove any previous stains, sealants, residues, oils, etc. 
• Step 3: Wipe down the deck meticulously with a scrub brush, removing all leaves, mold, and other material that has collected on the surface. If you do not have a very clean deck before sealing, the deck sealer will trap in all the elements you want removed, and your problem will be exacerbated, suggests the experts at National Lumber Co, the best dealer of Azek decking.
• Step 4: Once the wood has been stripped down and raw, then the stain and sealant can be applied. This process needs to happen every 3-5 years or as soon as you notice damage setting in on the deck.

Benefits of sealing

• Extends the life of a wood deck: Applying a waterproofing deck sealer or deck stain will greatly extend the life of a wood deck. The finish prevents the wood from going through wetting and drying cycles. If left untreated, precipitation will enter the wood and expand. Once the lumber begins to dry, it contracts. This expansion and contraction leads to the degrading of wood. Sealing will prevent water from entering and thereby greatly reduce the wetting and drying cycles.
•  Enhances the looks: Sealing enhances the look of your wood deck as the sealants are formulated to beautify the wood and also to protect the deck from rotting and warping, suggest the decking experts at National Lumber Co.
• Saves you money: Deck sealing might seem like a hassle every few years, but this process is much cheaper than a new deck, and much cheaper than having to replace your current decks; thus saving you a lot of money.
  
  

Homeowners must take precautions to protect the investment made in their deck and minimize or eliminate these problems as much as possible.  Selecting the right decking material is also important; that’s why when it comes to buying the best decks in Washington, people only trust National Lumber Co. National Lumber is also the preferred choice for kitchen remodeling in Washington.

To know more, visit-http://www.nationallumber.biz/