Once you’ve made the most of your decking over the summer month, the autumn and winter will be the time where you have to take some extra steps to keep your decking maintained. If you have composite decking, your winter maintenance will be minimal, but timber decking will need some extra care. Below is our expert guide to caring for your decking this winter.

Caring for a Timber Deck in the Winter

Remove Debris

Your timber decking will need regular sweeping with a stiff-bristled broom to remove leaves and other debris. If left to build up, debris can promote the growth of mould and algae which can eventually cause the deck to rot. You should try to keep a clear decking as much as possible throughout the winter.

Protect

Timber decking will be prone to mould and fungi growth with the wet weather over the winter months. So, you should try to protect it from moisture. You can paint or stain timber decking on milder, dryer days with a sealant that can help prevent moisture from permeating the decks. If your decking hasn’t been treated, you should cover it with a tarp to protect it from the worst of the weather, lifting it on dryer days to allow the wood to breathe.

Remove Mould

If you notice any mould build-up on your timber decking, you will need to get rid of it as soon as possible to stop it from spreading. For treated decking, you can use a soft-bristled brush to remove the build-up and then spray with vinegar. Leave it for an hour and then wipe it dry. For untreated decking, you can spray the area with dishwashing detergent and warm water and scrub with a hard-bristled brush to remove the build-up.

Snow and Ice

You shouldn’t use salts to de-ice your decking, as this will damage the wood and also the environment. Instead, if there has been snowfall in your area, shovel it away with a plastic shovel and sweep any excess, with brush strokes following the grain on the decking. Sprinkling sand onto your decking can help to increase the grip, especially when it’s icy, and won’t corrode the decking like salts and other chemicals.

Caring for a Composite Deck in the Winter

If you have composite decking, like Millboard decking, you won’t need to stain or treat it to protect against moisture. Millboard decking is made from polyurethane and features a unique Lastane surface, so it’s resistant to mould and rot and is also anti-slip.

However, you should still aim to clear your decking of debris, by regularly sweeping with a broom. If it snows, you should use a plastic shovel or a broom to remove it from your decking – whilst composite decking is resistant to scuffs and scratches, a metal shovel could still damage it.

You can clean your composite decking with warm soapy water and a soft-bristled brush, or you can use a jet wash. When cleaning, you should brush, sweep, or jet-wash along the decks with the grain, to make sure you don’t push debris into gaps that are needed for drainage. Composite decking is stain resistant, but if you find a stubborn spot that can’t be cleaned with warm soapy water, you can get specific composite decking cleaning fluid that should do the job.

The Southern Decking Company is the expert in fitting composite decking, designing and installing decking for customers in Sussex, Surrey, and across the south. Contact us to see how we can transform your outside space with composite decking to suit your lifestyle and budget.