4 Things to Do Before Sealing Your Deck

A deck is a perfect spot in a garden or outdoor area to pass time with friends and family. To ensure that your deck remains in good condition and to guarantee the lifespan of the wood, you must seal it properly. You can hire a professional to do your deck sealing, or you can DIY. But before starting this task yourself, you must correctly prepare your deck. 

If your deck has been recently installed, then you must wait at least 30 days before applying the sealant. Natural preservatives of the wood require at least a month to soak in. After that, the sealant would be perfectly absorbed by the wood. If you want to know which steps to follow before sealing your deck, then keep reading this article.

1. Repair any damage
   
   
   An inspection must be performed to ensure that your deck doesn’t have loose nails, wood planks with splinters, or any rotten timber. If you find any kind of damage in your planks, then you must do the necessary reparations. We strongly recommend that you fix any deterioration to avoid having a neglected-looking deck. Also, reparations will avoid further cracks or future breaks.
   
   
   After doing a thorough inspection and taking the required action, your deck would be ready for the next step.
   
   
2. Test the stain
   
   
   If your deck hasn’t been sealed or stained, then you can move forward to clean the deck. However, if your deck has been already stained, you need to know if it was used as a water-based or oil-based product. If you are not sure about it, then proceed with the test. You’ll need a deck stripping solution and something to wipe it off.
   
   
   Apply the solution to a small area (it would be better if you choose a corner), and then let it sit for 15 minutes. Then wipe it off with a cloth or a cleaning rag, and if the stain comes off, then it is a water-based one. If your stain is water-based, then proceed to remove it entirely. If your stain is an oiled-based one, just make sure to use a deck cleaner to prepare the wood for the new coat.
   
   
3. Wash your deck
   
   
   Now that you are sure that the wood planks are in optimal conditions to receive the sealant, you must get rid of any type of debris. First, sweep the deck with a broom to get rid of any dust, leaves, or litter. After that, you can use a cleaner to ensure deep cleaning and rinse it out. But in case you don’t want to use a cleaner, you can use a garden hose or pressure washing. Just remember that if you have an oil-based sealant, using a deck cleaner solution would be required.
   
   
   Don’t forget that your deck must be completely dry to apply the coat of sealant. Wait at least 24 hours to ensure that the wood won’t be damp.
   
   
4. Sand your deck
   
   
   If you are going to apply a new coat of sealant for maintenance, then you must get rid of the old coat. If you don’t do so, then the timber won’t soak the sealant that you’re going to apply, and all your hard work would be for nothing. Take sandpaper or a sander and pass it through the whole deck. If your deck hasn’t been sealed, then you must still sand it to remove the top layer of the wood that can act as a barrier to the sealant.
   
   
   Use a leaf blower or a broom to get rid of all the wood dust. After that, you’ll be almost ready to apply the coat of sealant.

Let it sit until it’s completely dry

Now that you have performed all the previous steps to prepare your deck, you can go ahead and apply the sealant or stain. Use even strokes to apply the coat of sealant and ensure that no area is left without sealant. After that, you’ll have to let the sealant sit and dry for up to 24 hours. However, we recommend that you don’t use the deck in the next 48 hours after applying the stain or sealant.

After following all our advice, you’ll be ready to enjoy your deck without worrying about it. Don’t forget that you must reapply a coat of stain or sealant once a year to ensure the lifespan of the wood.