Decks are prone to wear and tear Because they are exposed to the elements that are brought on by time and changes in the weather. It can be challenging to determine if you should scrap the deck and rebuild, or restore the existing deck. Where most decks can be restored, for safety reasons, you should know whether the deck needs to be restored or replaced. With that in mind, we at McKay’s Painting would like to offer some determining factors.
How Do I Know if My Deck is Stable?
Your home should be a safe environment, more than anything else. If you have kids running around who may not recognize a dangerous structure, this is especially important. Decks can develop rotten support posts, loose railings, or exposed nails as they get older. Any of these issues could be very hazardous and lead to serious injuries. Try to keep everyone away until it can be inspected if you have an old deck and question its safety.
Inspect Deck
Performing a visual inspection of your deck is the first step in your revive or replace. You can learn about the state of wood, metal, or composite materials during this inspection process. Be vigilant to spot any of these problems listed below.
– Support beams or posts are rotten.
– If there is any separation between the deck and your house.
– The deck planks or surface material has excessive damage.
– Railings or steps are loose or unstable.
– Your wood is discolored or has irregular stains.
– The supporting posts has ground erosion around it.
Rotting wood or erosion may be your sign to tear down the deck and rebuild from scratch, though loose steps or discoloration can be repaired.
Make Deck Plans
You can start making plans to revive it if your visual inspection reveals only minor issues, and the deck presents no immediate hazards. It is important to have specific goals in mind when repairing your deck. The time it will take, the materials you’ll need, and the skills necessary to update are included in making your plan. You may find that the time involved would be better spent rebuilding the deck instead when putting this information together. Keep in mind that it’s much easier to change your mind before you start work than after.
You may decide to update it using an entirely different style. You might want to build an entirely new deck with all new materials if for example your deck is too big, too small, the wrong color, or in the wrong place. You’ll have a better idea of how to proceed once you figure out what the end goal is for your deck.
Prepare Deck Budget
An important factor to consider is the cost of reviving a deck versus replacing one. It’s almost always more expensive to build a new deck than to revive an existing deck except for a few instances. A deck replacement will be much more extensive and expensive, but a restoring a deck may involve things like staining and painting or replacing a few boards.
You may want to consider reviving your deck if you’re on a tight budget. Replacing your deck with a new one will allow you to design it exactly as you want it if money isn’t a problem. You’ll want to make sure the job is done right no matter what you decide.
Deck Refinishing, Restoration & More in Ojai, Camarillo, Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Los Angeles, Burbank & Ventura, CA
No matter if you need to refinish or restore a worn down deck in the Greater Ventura, CA area, contact McKay’s Painting and let us take care of you!
