When the warm weather comes, no place is as relaxing as your deck. A safe place to unwind outdoors is as desirable as it gets here after a cold New England winter, and being able to proudly share that space is even better! Unfortunately, after a long cold fall and winter your deck probably isn’t looking its best, but don’t worry, no deck is too far gone! Follow these 5 easy steps to get your deck summer-ready, and you’ll be good to go for any social engagement or emergency chill-sesh that comes your way!
1. Cleaning
The first step to any like-new project is going to be cleaning the area. Start by clearing off any furniture you have on your deck so you can get a clear assessment of what you’re working with. Depending on how your deck looks, you might need one of three levels of cleaning to your deck’s surface to get it ready for summer.
Light Cleaning – If your deck just has some organic debris from last fall (leaves, acorns, pine needles) then give it a good sweeping. If you compost, now is a good time to add some organic matter to that compost pile! Once you’ve swept the debris off, take out your garden hose and give your deck a quick wash down.
Deep Cleaning – If your deck has caked on grime, you’re going to want to get down with some powerful cleaning agents and take it off by hand. After performing the above steps, make sure you get a bucket with a sponge and clean what you can. However, make sure the solution you’re using won’t strip your sealant! If you have a powerful pressure washer lying around, then this might be a good time to use it. It will save you a lot of time cleaning.
Restaining/Sealing – For this step, you want to make sure that this is your last possible option. If the old stain is spotty, cloudy, stripped, or the dirt and grime have penetrated deeply, then this is the way to go. To learn how to fully restain and seal your deck, read our Deck Staining Blog for step-by-step instructions! Also, check out this handy video guide from Benjamin Moore!
2. Prepare the Grill
If you’re like us, you love grilling out on the deck. A winter’s worth of sitting around might mean that your grill needs a bit of TLC before it’s up and running. To get the grill ready, we’re going to do 4 things:
- Inspect Propane Tank and Gas Fittings
- Clean Cooking Surfaces
- Clean Carbon Residue
- Clean Grease Drippings
To learn how to do each of these steps in detail, read our blog on Getting Your Grill Ready for Summer.
If your grill is older and needs to be replaced, head over to our website to learn more about Weber Grills, Traeger Grills and Smokers, and Big Green Egg Grills!
3. Add Some Lighting
A deck during the daytime gets nice natural light, but at night you might still want to hang out with your friends and family, or read a good book and enjoy the summer air. If this is the case, consider adding some outdoor lighting to your deck area. If you’re feeling ambitious you can install some sconce lighting on the side of your house, or simply hang string lights around the railings and on the side of your home.
For the DIYer out there, you can Create Your Own Mason Jar Pendant Lights to hang around the area!
4. New / Refurnished Furniture
If you’ve got old, stained, or uncomfortable furniture you have two options; refresh or replace. If you’re replacing your old outdoor furniture, make sure you get something that compliments your home and your deck.
For someone who is looking to refresh their furniture, you have a few options. You can easily replace cushions in furniture with slip/zip covers, and replace covers on cushions the same way. For metal furniture, try giving it a Metal Furniture Spray Paint Makeover.
5. Plants
Everyone loves fresh plants. They bring new vibrancy, life, and smells to an area! You can do anything with planters on your deck that you want to. Line the railings with herbs, hang plants in the poster corners, heck, you can even Create Jumbo Planters for herbs and vegetables that you can grow and maintain from the comfort of your deck! It’s your space and your imagination is the limit when it comes to how you use plants in the area!
Wrap Up
A deck is more than an attachment to your house, it’s a getaway, a refuge from the stressful things in life, so treat it as well as it treats you! If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to us at Koopman Lumber! If you’re interested in getting your first deck or redoing your deck, check out our guide on Choosing the Perfect Deck Board for you, and as always thanks for reading!
