maintenance Archives - Page 2 of 3 - DeckTec Outdoor Designs

What’s the Occasion?

July 31st, 2012|Blog, Life On Deck|

“I can’t believe our little girl is getting married,” Donna said to her husband, Tom. “It seems like just yesterday, she was out here in this yard playing tea party with her friends.” Tom sighed. “Yes, and she wants to have the memory of a lifetime in this very spot. I never imagined that we’d be hosting a wedding in our own back yard. We’ll have to call DeckTec to do some remodeling on the deck they built for us 15 years ago. We’ll have to adjust the stairs a little over here, and add some lighting…” he began pointing to different areas of the yard, describing his vision on how to transform the outdoor environment into a romantic wedding venue. “We should have a fireplace installed over here, and a roof cover for shade. Don’t forget we should also have them freshen up the landscaping down on the lawn,” [...]

Save Your Summer!

July 5th, 2012|Blog, Deck Project Highlights, Life On Deck|

Jeff was out on his Redwood deck one spring morning enjoying a cup of coffee and reading the morning paper. He glanced down at the deck and noticed that scratches from the dog’s claws had marred the surface and the stain he had applied several years ago had begun to fade. He got up and walked the rest of the deck, inspecting the overall condition. He decided it was time to refinish the deck so it would look nice for the outdoor parties and barbecues he typically hosted in summertime. Meanwhile, on the other side of town, Kevin was looking at the surface of his own deck, which he had spent most of the previous summer painting himself. The brutal Colorado sun and the winter elements had destroyed the paint, which was now peeling and the deck was an eyesore. He was disappointed that he had wasted his entire season [...]

Now That the Snow is Gone…

April 6th, 2011|Blog, Decks & Backyard Features|

Now that the snow is gone and the weather warms up, it's time to clean out and spruce up the house and yard. The same is true for maintaining your deck. Whether you have a beautiful natural wood finish or a composite deck, our experts can help. Every situation is unique due to the variety of use, age, construction and other factors. However, here are the four main ways to care for your wooden deck: Leave it alone - If you have a well built Redwood, Cedar or hardwood outdoor structure, doing nothing is a choice to allow your deck to weather to a natural grey finish. What you want to be careful about with this plan, however, is that in our dry climate, wood can dry out, causing some board checking (surface cracks). If you choose to go with this low level of maintenance approach, please keep our number [...]

Spring Cleaning Your Patio Furniture

April 1st, 2011|Blog, Life On Deck, Outdoor Living|

As warmer weather invites us outside, visions of lazy Sunday mornings with the newspaper and coffee on the deck filter through our minds. We go out to plop down in our favorite lawn chair and, oops! Winter grime coats the furniture surfaces. Another mighty clean-up job? Don't be discouraged. Peg Mangieri and Margaret Mills of Marina Pool, Spa, and Patio Company have some good advice. Their business has been operating since 1979 so they have a lot of experience helping people spruce up their Outdoor Living environments. "Patio furniture isn't that hard to clean," said Margaret. "Some nice dishwasher soap and a little rubbing will take away most of the grime easily. Just be sure to thoroughly rinse your furniture when done, or you may end up with soap bubbles every time it rains." For metal frames that have rust spots, you can get your item powder coated at several [...]

Time to Spruce Up Your Deck

March 30th, 2011|Blog, Deck Care & Repair, Decks & Backyard Features|

Now is a great time to take an early spring walk outside and see what needs to be done to keep your deck in great shape for the summer season. According to the North American Deck & Railing Association Consumer Safety Checklist, here are a few specific things to look for: Look at your wood - are there split, checked or rotted pieces of wood? They'll need to be replaced. Loose or corroded fasteners like screws and nails will need to be addressed. Railings and banisters need to be secure - try pushing on yours to make sure of this. Dirt and grime from dead leaves and other winter debris can become a safety hazard if not cleaned up, especially as they can cause mildew and will become slippery if wet. A good deck maintenance plan for both safety and beauty is part of every good home-ownership-program. At DeckTec we [...]