We have come across many decks with trapped debris in between the boards. It is important to keep the airflow in between the board to inhibit dry rot and fungus.

Wood decks need to have enough spacing between the boards for adequate airflow to reduce incidence of trapped moisture. If the boards are too tight moisture will be trapped when the wood swells causing dry rot and fungus over time. Adequate spacing between the wood boards is 1/16 to ¼ inch and a good deck contractor will take this in consideration when constructing a deck. Boards clogged with dirt, leaves and other debris will retain moisture causing problems in the future.  The homeowner should keep the boards free of debris by simple cleaning and general deck maintenance in the spring and fall.   Use a putty knife or some other flat narrow tool to run in between the boards to loosen any debris.

Cleaning and Sealing Your Deck, Deck Maintenance

Follow these procedures for deck refinishing process.

1. Reset nails and secure loose boards.
2. Remove existing stain either by using a chemical stripper or sanding deck to the bare wood.
3. Use deck cleaner to remove any unseen mildew or dirt.
4. Apply stain waterproofing. Tip: use paint brush to cut around deck, area next to walls.
5. If you choose to use oil base, make sure the deck surface is thoroughly clean and dry before applying stain sealer.
6. Note: I recommend using high quality water sealer in San Francisco, just because of it’s proximity from the water. The same thing applies to Marin county as well. Water base stains can be applied to damp wood.

Deck restoration involves the need to remove and replace wood damaged by dry rot, fungus or other problems. Once restored the deck can be refinished with a sealer.