When is the Best Time to Replace Your Decking?

DeckingWhen is it time to replace your decking? It is a question many homeowners are constantly asking themselves. The Irish Times attempts to answer this question in a recent article titled “Does my decking need to be replaced?

A reader asks the author of the article, “The raised decking at the rear of our house is nine years old. For the past year or so water has been collecting in the centre of it. I have tried to unblock the space between the timbers and I have drilled holes in the decking but with little success. Within a short period, water again collects in the centre. Naturally this makes the deck very slippery, but I am also concerned about the effect this constant weight of water has on the decking structurally. What can I do to solve this problem? In addition, I noticed recently that there was a lot of give in the hand rail on the decking. What is the age span of handrails and decking generally? How do you know when your handrail/deck needs to be replaced?”

The author responds, “You stated that there is a lot of give in the handrail and this would indicate that there is an issue with the integrity of the timber. Timber decking that is adequately treated every two to three years should last 15 years. However, if it is not been treated regularly this timeframe will shrink drastically. If it is found that the timber structure was sound and only the visible decking needed to be replaced I would advise consideration be given to replacing this with a composite decking which does not have the same maintenance requirements and has a much longer life. I would also recommend that any new decking is installed on a slight slope to one side so that when rain water falls upon the decking it will fall off along the grooves towards one side. This will also prevent any future deterioration due to standing water.”

If it’s time to replace your decking, you can’t go wrong with Platinum Exteriors NW. We offer a variety of decking and hardware to meet your specific needs. This includes installing TimberTech, Fiberon composite and Trex brands of decking, which we offer maintenance-free pre-colored or stained finished. Along with these decking materials, we also offer special mounting systems with hidden fasteners and other technologies. At Platinum Exteriors NW, we bring out the beauty of Real Cedar or TigerWood decking by applying advanced stains or clear sealants that help to heighten and preserve the true colors of the wood. Furthermore, we offer and installs Westcoat ALX, DecTec, DuraDeck, and other premium waterproofing deck coating systems. We seek to provide options and expert installation customized to your needs for each aspect of your decking project.

Whatever decking needs you might have, look no further than Platinum Exteriors NW!

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