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Decking makes a great addition to a garden; allowing for the expansion of your house to the outdoors for those pleasant, sunny days. Being outside though will mean that the timber used to create the decking will be exposed to the elements – from the hot days of summer to the wet and cold of autumn and winter. Before long, the decking will deteriorate, becoming slippery underfoot as it starts to rot.
This is why, if you're searching for garden decking in Camberley, it is important to ensure you know how to maintain your decking. The best investments are ones that are able to balance quality with cost – if you're able to prolong the life of your decking by several years, keeping it looking fresh and appealing, you'll be getting the best value for money.
As a leading supplier of garden decking in Camberley, we at Pennyhill Timber have established an unrivalled reputation in the local area for retailing the best-quality materials, for the best possible prices.
Having spent the best part of two decades operating in the industry, we have gained a collective experience that has helped us to cultivate a wide and varied knowledge of all aspects of timber and decking – so read on for our tips on maintaining your garden decking.
The main part of decking maintenance will be to clean the timber – which should be done at least twice a year. Aside from everyday grime and dirt that can seep into the wood, making it look unattractive and dull, moss, mould and algae are also prone to growing within timber decking.
Wood (especially the rotting variety) also provides a food source for insects and other garden animals; leaving loose planks that can easily break. The fixings of the structure are particularly vulnerable as the metal screws are liable to retain water in the wooden grooves they fit into.
To effectively clean the decking, use a hard brush to get rid of any growths or loose materials on the decking. You should then apply a specialist timber cleaning product and scrub it into the wood's surface, before rinsing it off with a garden hose. When completed, make sure that any residue is washed off thoroughly and leave it for two days to dry.
In order to offer some ongoing defence to your decking, you should apply some specialist decking protection product once a year. The ideal time would be in the early autumn so the wood is able to take advantage of its maximum protection qualities throughout the later winter months. Due to the adverse weather, it'll be no surprise to learn that winter causes the most damage to timber.
There are a number of different products you can use to protect your garden decking in Camberley; decking protector, decking stain or decking oil – each of them having different qualities. The protector is translucent, so it will not change the appearance of the wood, the stain has a definite colour and oil provides a more subtle finish.
After you clean your decking, you should strip it of any previous varnish or stain that has been applied by using a wood stain remover. Lightly sand the surface by using sandpaper and wipe off any residue when you're ready to start applying your protection product.
To make the job easier, use a rolling device and tray – but be careful not to overload your roller (or brush); if you use too much then you'll have dark patches showing up in the decking so you should just apply enough to be able to make a few strokes at a time. When finished, wipe off any extra product with a cloth and let it dry for at least 24 hours, although the longer you can leave it to dry, the better.
No matter the product you use, the treatment process is the same. Although if you're using decking oil, be sure to apply a very thin layer to begin with – you should be avoiding leaving any large pools of oil as they take an absolute age to dry off!
If your cleaning and/or protection regime has lapsed for whatever reason and the decking is looking weathered and dull, there could be an option to restore it (dependent on the condition of the timber, of course). You should immediately clean the decking before you apply any restorer product, applying it with a stiff brush to one area at a time. If the wood isn't too far gone, then the restorer will work to bring back its original colour.
Looking after your garden decking in Camberley needn't be a chore – if you spend a lot of time and effort looking after your garden, then cleaning and applying protection product once or twice a year will seem like no time at all. A relatively simple job, protecting your decking against the winter weather will provide stunning look to your garden for years to come.
If you're looking to create new decking or to replace certain parts of your existing structure(s), then we will have everything you need here at Pennyhill Timber. Why not take a look around our timber products section to see our vast range of materials?
To learn more about our garden decking in Camberley service – or if you have any questions you'd like to ask us – then please do not hesitate to get in touch with our friendly customer support team today. You can give them a call on 01483 486 739 or e-mail info@pennyhilltimber.co.uk
