Wood Deck

Deck Treatment Materials

Wood left out in the open to sun and moisture will quickly set in motion to degrade. Put down your deck untreated and you can be expecting it to turn grey with age. Into the bargain the decking boards are to be expected to cup, warp and split. Do not take into account the problem for too long and you will have to make major repairs or even replace sections of deck. There are various process and procedures which can ensure safety of your wood deck and are essential for wood deck treatment. Most common of them are deck sealing and stripping.

Wood deck sealing:

Deck sealing is a three part course of action. Do away with any old stains or coatings, clean the wood, and seal it against weather spoil. If the deck has on no account been sealed before, you won't have to strip it, although brand new wood has special pre-stain preparation requirements. If your deck has been sealed earlier, use the water test to see if it is time to seal it again. Rain slightly some water onto the boards. If the water beads, the wood is at a standstill sealed and protected. If the water is absorbed into the wood, then it is time for a treatment. Keep in mind to test several different areas of the deck. High-traffic spots are to be expected to wear down before corners and rail spindles.

Wood deck stripping:

Stripping is indispensable for creating an even surface on which the fresh sealant can stick on. If the high traffic areas of your deck have tattered down, but there is still sealant left over in other areas, strip the entire deck before you re-stain. If you are changing colors then also stripping is most important. Traces of an old color left beneath will have an effect on the way a new color appears.

Deck treatment materials:

Your wood deck treatment shopping list will contain more that just cleaner and sealer. Following are some other products that will make the job easier. A pump action sprayer to provide cleaning solutions. You can buy one branded deck sprayer or garden sprayer; however do not use it for spraying your garden once it has had deck cleaning chemicals in it. A stiff brush on a extended handle for scrubbing.

How is wood treated?

One of the most common ways of wood treatment is pressure treatment. However post-2004, CCA-treated (CCA- chromated copper arsenate) lumber has been banned for home use and can be used only for agricultural or industrial uses. Wooden decks can be also be simply treated by coating it with an oil-based penetrating stain every couple of years. CCA has been replaced by two water-borne compounds that are alkaline copper quat (ACQ types B and D) and copper azole (CBA-A, CA-B). They are low-toxicides which resist bugs, mold and rot.

Wood can also be treated using chemicals which creates a clear layer of polymer on top of the outdoor wood. Thus it gives a plastic-like protection to the wooden decks. People often prefer using such chemicals which give the protection of plastic coating to their wooden decks than oil-based sealers.

There are basically 3 main types of preservatives used for pressure treated wood. They are:

1) Water-born preservatives: Some water-born preservatives are CCA, ammoniacal copper zinc arsenate (ACZA) and ammoniacal copper quat (ACQ). Wood treated with water-born preservatives are mainly used for industrial purposes.

2) Oil-born preservatives are mainly used for treating wood for domestic purposes like for wooden decks, indoor pools, utility poles etc.

3) Creosote is used for treating wood for bridges, docks, guardrails etc.

Prior to treating wood for wooden decks it is important that it is power washed. However by doing so it must be seen that there is not excessive pressure which can lead to breaking of wood fibers. This can lead to shortening of the wood life of the wooden decks.

Conclusion:

Thus it is necessary to use treated wood for building decks at home but it must be used with great caution. Home makers must treat the wood with only such chemicals which are not harmful for people as well as for the environment around.

Wood Deck