How to Renew Wooden Decks and Fences

How to Renew Wooden Decks and Fences

Wooden decks and fences give a warm touch to your outdoor space, adding to your property’s beauty. However, exposure to weather as well as use can bring a lot of abuse and, without proper care, after a few years, your decks and fences can become unappealing. Luckily, they are built of long lasting wood, previously treated to be resistant to insects, rot and decay. So, the issues you may have are more of aesthetic nature, not structural. Therefore, in most cases, instead of completely redoing you decks and fences, a restoration can help you prolong their lifespan.

Deck and fence restoration in Canberra has becoming more and more popular because of a variety of reasons. It can totally change the look of your outdoor space while being much more cost effective than a total replacement. Also, it is an environmentally friendly option as you do not need to buy new building materials to start a new deck and fence from scratch which also saves you a significant amount of time. Moreover, there are many available eco friendly restoration chemicals. 

However, it is not that easy to tell the difference between a deck and fence that need a replacement and the ones that need a restoration only. Only a few warped or loose boards can be easily repaired as well as minor cracks and splinters. Small structural issues as well as smaller rotting portions of your deck and fence simply replace with portions of new wood which could be a solution for years to come. 

Additionally, over years, a natural wood surface can lose its glow due to the ultraviolet rays from the sun, resulting in your deck or fence erosion or a dull grey colour. Do not panic, the problem is much easier than it seems. There are many non toxic, biodegradable products that you can be applied to the wood which will remove any mildew, mould and algae stains and brighten the wood. The most popular chemicals used for this purpose are non-chlorine oxygenated bleach, sodium hypochlorite and oxalic acid based products. As they can change the natural wood colour by destroying the wood’s fibre, be careful and follow the label instructions. 

The final step of deck and fence restoration in Canberra is to find the best finish suited for the type of wood used for building your fence or deck. You should choose a paraffin or oil based product which will prevent moisture coming in and mould growth. To extend the longevity of your restoration, these products should also contain UV blockers and insecticide.