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Decking
Information Guide
Deck Rot How to identify and
prevent
Can wood rot to your deck and it's members be stopped?
Yes however there is more to consider when
saying "yes". The following information will be
helpful in it's detail as to what rot is and how to
prevent it.
First, once dry rot raises it's ugly head
and appears on dry wood, it produces what is called rhizomorphs,
which can grow to lengths of several yards looking for
moisture. As long as the wood stays wet this fungi
will follow the moisture or spread, only dryness and
freezing will stop this spread. Dry rot then is
defined as decay from fungi that causes wood to become
brittle and crumble to
a powder. It can also attract pests, and termites that
compounds your problem.
More on Rot.
Dry rot can form within 4-6 months and it won’t always be easy to detect.
When the wood becomes infected, it starts to lose its structural integrity.
If this dry rot is left undetected, expect it to spread and cause more damage.
You can see then that it is very important to identify the
problem and fix or replace the damaged wood, before your
whole deck is compromised.
Obviously identifying this
problem in it's very beginning will save you a heck
of a lot of money for repairs you would have to make.
Note too that once you see the rot on your
deck or it's frame, usually that is just a small part or
percentage of what is the actual damage incurred to that
area or your deck.
Consider that the average deck has joints or
gaps that easily will retain water thereby promoting growth
of rot- in fact hundreds of these small areas. Now
imagine these areas inundated with organic debris such as
leaves, plants and dirt caught in-between the gaps and left
on the surface of the deck. Now your deck is
transformed into a sponge that holds moisture due to the
accumulation of organic debris. Your deck now mimics the
ecosystem in your yard, such as wet fallen wood found on the
forest floor rotting and decaying.
Here's a list of
things you can do and should do to ensure good health for
your deck and wood frame;
1. Make repairs. If the rot you see is
less than 1/2 inch deep, You can choose to leave the
board in place. Deeper or extensive rot calls for
replacement of the board or wood. If it is a frame
member, it's best to replace with pressure treated lumber
which is rot resistant wood. Inspect using an awl, ice pick,
or sharpe metal object and if the object easily penetrates
the wood, you have wood rot.
2. Popping up nails: Don't pound them
back in is the best solution. Pry out carefully and
replace with a deck screw or longer nail.
3. Make sure your deck is protected from
future moisture and rot. Don't allow your deck to stay wet
after a rain the next day. That usually means getting
rid of leaves and debris. Don't allow a gutter
downspout to splash water onto the deck. Do an deck
inspection for things like this that can add moisture to
your deck or frame. Keep debris out of the deck board gaps..
4. Clean
your discolored deck.
A dull gray color, on the boards
indicate a thin film of mildew on the boards which means the
deck can use a cleaning (soap, water and or bleach) or
pressure wash -see
also How to clean a deck. Although some consumers like the
graying of Redwood decks. Which is fine, and the
redwood in that state will last for a long time too.
5. You can also purchase a deck cleaner for
cleaning the deck. Just follow the instructions on
the bottle or package.
6. Have you sealed your
deck after cleaning? Does it need some kind of seal or
protection? Of course. A simple test is to sprinkle
some water on a few areas of the deck, if it's sealed
properly the water will bead up. If it soaks into the
wood, you did to seal or re stain the deck for protection
against the elements.
5. Seal and finish.
Seal a deck as soon as possible after cleaning it. Sprinkle a few
drops of water on the wood. If it doesn't bead up and instead soaks
right in, the deck needs to be sealed.
Be sure the sealer is UV compliant in the sense of
containing the necessary UV blockers and it contains a
pigment or color to bock sun rays from turning the boards
grey. More info
on stain and seal a deck.
You can use a paint roller, pad, brush, or
sprayer to apply the sealer. You may want to use a few
rags to wipe off any excess and ensure an even finish.
Don't store any oily rags together or leave them out in the
hot sun on your deck. They can create combustion and begin
to smoke and eventually catch on fire. Keep them on
the ground in the shade separating from one another until
they dry out and can be disposed of.
In conclusion Keep an eye on your
investment, your deck. Thereby saving money that would
have been needed for future repairs, instead use for a
trip to Disneyland or some other activity.
© 2005 American Floor Coverings Inc.
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