Why Decks and Fences need to be maintained!

Since the beauty of wood owes so much to Mother Nature, we feel it is only right that decks, fences and other exterior wood surfaces be protected. Your deck or fence is a monument to your unique taste and personality. It  tells everyone that you will not settle for the status quo. So why  settle for an average wood stain product?

Most homeowners love their decks and fences  but they hate the constant  maintenance that they require. But, the beauty of a well maintained deck and fence is unsurpassed. In nature, wood is protected by bark. In your home, they should be protected with a quality oils based stain. Decks and fences weather and decompose due to Mother Nature.  The two main elements that cause the most damage to the wood are water (from rain, dew, etc.) and ultraviolet rays from the sun. Other common items that cause damage to decks are foot traffic, location and temperature.

All these factors combine their efforts to cause the degradation of the wood’s lignin, this is glue-like substance that holds the boards on the deck or fence together.  When lignin begins to degrade, it causes splitting, checking, ,warping, raised grain and the gray discoloration of wood.

Mold and mildew, along with the cellulose left as the lignin degrades causes a decks and fences to become gray in color.  These fibers need to be removed before the deck or fence is sealed otherwise all the hard work of sealing the wood will cause your finish to fail prematurely.

Locally we all have available to us a variety of so called stains/sealers. We  call them “so called” because whether it is an oil based or water based  stain/sealer, they are all film forming stains. This means that they  form a film on the surface of the wood that is somewhat similar to paint. You  all know what happens to paint on wood. Cracking and peeling is what you get.

So in closing, if you want to have a beautiful outdoor space that you can enjoy for years to come with a minimal of maintenance, you must perform maintenance on your deck at a minimum every 2 years. Most people spend more every year to wash and wax their cars than they do maintaining the exterior wood of their home.

About the Author: Xtreme Maintenance operates their deck and fence staining service out of Helena, Montana. You can visit their site at xtrememaintenance.com or call them at 406-465-9334 for  a free no obligation quote.

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