How to Protect Your Decking Before Winter Sets In | Rye's Contractors Kent
Autumn in Kent has a way of creeping up on you. One week you're sat outside with a cup of tea watching the garden, and the next the leaves are down, the mornings are grey, and everything's wet. It's around this time of year that decking starts to take a real battering, and a bit of attention now can save you a lot of grief come spring.
The biggest enemy of timber decking isn't actually frost. It's moisture that gets in and then freezes. When water sits in the grain of the wood and the temperature drops, it expands, and that's when you start to see splitting, warping, and boards that were perfectly fine last summer looking rough and tired by March. The good news is that a bit of preparation before the cold properly sets in goes a long way.
The first thing to do is give the decking a proper clean. This is something a lot of people skip, and it really is the foundation of everything else. Algae, moss, and general grime build up over the summer months, especially in shaded areas or anywhere that stays damp. Once that organic matter is sitting on the surface, it holds moisture against the wood and speeds up the deterioration. A thorough jet wash at the right pressure will lift all of that away without damaging the timber. Get into the gaps between the boards too, because that's where debris collects and moisture lingers longest. If you're not confident doing it yourself, or you don't have access to the right equipment, it's the sort of job we're very happy to help with.
Once the decking is clean and, crucially, fully dry, that's the time to apply a good quality decking oil or sealant. This is where people often go wrong, applying a treatment to damp wood and wondering why it doesn't last. The product needs to penetrate the grain, and it can only do that properly when the timber is dry. A decent oil will feed the wood and help it resist moisture through the winter months. You don't need anything exotic, just a product suited to the type of timber you have, applied evenly and given time to soak in. Two coats are usually better than one, with the first given time to dry before the second goes on.
It's also worth taking a good look at the condition of the boards themselves before winter arrives. Run your hand along each one and check for any that feel soft or spongy underfoot, because those are signs that rot has already taken hold. Check the fixings too. Screws and fixings that have started to rust or lift can allow water to get underneath the board surface, which makes things worse. Catching these issues now, rather than in February when the weather is miserable and the ground is frozen, makes everything easier and usually cheaper to sort out.
Kent weather is mild compared to much of the country, but the damp here is persistent. The combination of wet autumns and cold spells through winter means timber outdoors does need looking after. It's not a huge amount of work, but it does need doing at the right time and done properly.
If you'd like a hand getting your decking ready for winter, whether that's a jet wash and clean, some advice on treatments, or a proper inspection to see what needs attention, get in touch with us at Rye's Contractors. We're based in Kent and we're always happy to have a chat and point you in the right direction.