Winter Deck "survival" Tips

With another winter just around the corner, it's time to start thinking about cleaning, restoring and protecting your deck so it survives the onslaught of ice, snow, sleet and moisture that can damage it during the months ahead. Here are some deck "survival" tips from the experts at Wolman® Wood Care Products:

Step 1: Clean your deck to remove the dirt, mildew and food stains that accumulated over the spring and summer months. Use a specially formulated deck cleaner like Wolman DeckBrite™, which features an oxygenated bleach formula that removes grayed wood surfaces, ground-in dirt and the toughest stains. It restores wood to its natural, like-new look without bleaching or degrading its structure, such as chlorine bleach solutions can. It even removes invisible coating barriers, like excess wax, mill glaze and old, water-repellent residue.

On previously stained wood, strip any faded, deteriorated or unwanted colored coating with a product like Wolman DeckStrip® ASR Acrylic Stain Remover. It removes oil and water-based solid, semi-transparent and clear finishes-and even tough-to-remove 100 percent acrylic stains-and prepares wood for a new finish or stain. It contains special wetting agents and thickeners that cling to all wood surfaces-even vertical surfaces-so it's great for fences, gazebos, play sets and other outdoor wood surfaces!

Step 2: After the wood is restored and your deck is rid of surface barriers or unwanted finishes, it's important to seal it with a protective water-repellent finish and preservative. Water repellents stop rain, sleet, snow and ice from penetrating the wood surface, which can cause cracking, splitting and warping. Select a product like Wolman F&P Finish and Preservative, which offers a guarantee on water-repellent longevity so you won't have to apply a new coat every year. It also contains an EPA-registered preservative that prevents surface mold and mildew growth, rot and decay.

By: Wendy Mitchell

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Want more deck "survival" tips? Visit www.wolman.com or call (732) 469-8100. Decked Out-It's a good idea to prepare your deck for harsh winter months.