Putting decking in your garden can take a lot of time and effort. But it really is worth it.

Decking areas provide a place to socialise, an area for friends and family to meet on those hot sunny days. As well as that your decking can be the perfect haven for relaxing with a book and your favourite drink.

However, most people don’t realise that decking needs to be maintained in order for it to stay in good condition. A poorly maintained deck can quickly go into disrepair. Here are some tips on how to keep your deck in good condition.

Keep potted plants away from your decking

Potted plants do look nice on decking, but most people don’t realise that this is a big no no! Potted plants leak water from the drainage holes in the bottom, as well as gathering moisture from rainfall. This moisture can lead to damp, mould and rot. So make sure you don’t have any potted plants on your decking.

Keep an eye on damp areas

Keep an eye out to make sure there are no areas on your decking which seem to hold damp for longer than other places. As mentioned before dampness can lead to mould, so just give the damp areas a check to see if they’re okay. In the case of finding a mouldy decking area then simply give it a good clean with some decking cleaner to remove the mould. There are also certain types of decking paint that are mould resistant and will help prevent mould in the future.

Check for insects

Wooden decking can seem like the perfect home for a wide range of insects. Most of these insects will be harmless, but there are a few species that like to eat and burrow into wood. Most wood is treated to repel insects, so there shouldn’t be a problem, but just to make sure give your decking a check every now and then for small holes. If you see anything that concerns you then call in an expert to review the area.

Change damaged areas

It’s only natural for your decking to get a little damaged over time. Perhaps you dropped something on your decking that split a wooden board. Maybe you broke a piece of wood when removing a loose nail or perhaps one of your kids accidentally damaged some wood whilst playing.

Regardless of the reason, any damaged pieces of decking should be replaced. It’s quick and easy to do and will help keep your decking looking clean.

Clean Your Decking

This is something that we should all be doing, but unfortunately most people fail to do so. It only takes an hour or so and will give your deck that brand new feeling. So after a long period of disuse, or when your decking is looking dirty, use a specialist decking cleaning solution to bring it back to life.