Rough Weather, Beautiful Deck

Weather in Michigan is radical. Whether it's winter or spring you never know what to expect. Sun, rain, and snow can be detrimental to the condition of an outside deck. However, it turns out there is a way to protect your deck from showing the season.

You start off by thoroughly cleaning your deck to remove dirt, mold, mildew stains and weathered gray surface wood. This can be done with an acid-free, biodegradable deck cleaner. Be careful if you use chlorine bleach as a cleanser as it tends to degrade the structure of the wood.

Maybe you want to refinish your deck, or just give it a new look. If so, all you have to do is use a stain and finish remover.

Once you have cleaned and restored your deck it's time to protect it. Use a stain or finish that will repel water and that contains a UV-blocking pigment to protect against damage by the sun's rays. You can even use a transparent oil finish, which will give your new or weathered wood a beautiful oil sheen. Oil finishes will also protect against the rot and decay caused by mildew and fungi growth.

Protecting your deck from the elements may take a little work, but your neighbor's awe is worth it.