Updated January 23, 2023
Once you’ve learned how to prepare your deck for winter, it’s time to learn how to care for your deck during winter.
Proper winter care and regular deck maintenance will help extend the life of your deck, so let’s go over how to properly care for your deck during colder months.
When removing snow...
If you live somewhere that gets quite a bit of snow, remember to take care not to damage your deck boards when removing it.
Whenever possible, we recommend sweeping off snow, and any other debris, with a large broom.
If you need to shovel, make sure you do so “with the grain,” or along the length of the deck boards.
Never run your shovel side-to-side across the width of the deck boards, as this may scratch the deck and damage the stain or paint.
We also advise against using a metal shovel, as this can cause damage to the deck as well.
When removing ice...
It may be your first instinct to salt the deck, just as you would your driveway or walkways, but we advise against it.
Salt can harm deck finishes which means you’ll have to re-stain it in the spring to fix any resulting discoloration.
If you want to go the extra mile and your deck is not large or complex, you can cover it with a tarp to protect it from all moisture, but this isn’t always a viable option.
If your deck is deteriorating, it may be time to remove your deck and replace your deck.
Find qualified deck removal contractors in your area
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