Summer is here, and homeowners in Minnesota can finally use their deck.  The deck is a great place to enjoy the summer weather, and get together with family and friends.  The cold winters can be hard on decks in Minnesota, so proper deck maintenance is key to make your deck last a long time.  Here are a couple of tips to extend your decks life.

1) Inspect your deck.  Make sure that all of the boards are secure and that there are no nails or screws sticking up.  If some boards are loose, make sure to re-secure them.  If there are splinters sticking up, sand them off.

2)Clean your deck.  This does not mean just sweeping your deck.  That is important but you must also get on your hands and knees and clean in between the cracks.  Take a screwdriver to clean out in between the boards.  You might not want to pressure wash your deck.  If your deck is made of softer wood the pressure of the water might actually hurt your decking materials.

3) Seal or Stain your deck.  This will help water bead off your deck faster and will not allow water to collect on your deck and rot away the wood.  You do not want to paint the deck.  You don’t want just to create a film over the deck.  It can start to chip and can be a nightmare to get off.  Instead you want to apply a stain or seal that penetrates the wood.

Your deck can last a long time.  Take time to make your deck last longer.