Four steps to prepare your deck for summer

As the summer comes upon us and memorial day is right around the corner, you may be beginning to think of all the fun barbeques and gatherings you will be having in your backyard. Just like preparing your house for an indoor party, your deck needs to be prepped for outdoor shindigs. Here are four easy steps to prepare your deck for summertime. 

A clean sweep

With the Winter and the Spring behind you, most likely your deck is covered with some form of leaves, pollen, and other debris that has been blowing around. Start with a good sweeping of all this material to get your deck prepared for the next step.

Power Through

After you are done with the sweeping, you will notice that organic debris has most likely left behind some stains on the wood of your deck. Using a pressure washer is the easiest way to remove those unsightly greenish/yellow stains.

Protect your feet

After power-washing, check your deck for any nails that have popped up or wood that may have splintered. Hammer down the protruding nail heads and decide if the splintered boards can be lightly sanded or if they should be replaced. There is nothing that will make a fun summer outing turn bad like a guest or yourself getting a splinter or cut. 

Replace boards

Give your deck a final inspection. Do you feel any boards under your feet that may be loose? Any that may have begun to warp from water and sun damage, or extreme temperature changes in the winter? If this is happening, it is time to take those boards up and replace them with new ones. This will keep your deck safe for your family and friends, and keep everyone safely enjoying the summer sun and yummy grilled food.