Normal Wear and Tear vs. Warranty Issues: Understanding Your Deck’s Natural Aging
Outdoor wood decks are constantly exposed to the elements, foot traffic, and natural wood characteristics. Many homeowners wonder what’s “normal” aging and what might be a concern. Without the right expectations, natural changes in the wood can sometimes be mistaken for defects. Expert Advice: At Deck Tec, we want you to enjoy the beauty and […]
Outdoor wood decks are constantly exposed to the elements, foot traffic, and natural wood characteristics. Many homeowners wonder what’s “normal” aging and what might be a concern. Without the right expectations, natural changes in the wood can sometimes be mistaken for defects.
Expert Advice:
At Deck Tec, we want you to enjoy the beauty and longevity of your deck without unnecessary worry. That’s why we’re here to help you understand what’s normal wear and tear versus what might require attention.
Here’s The Plan:
- Stain Color: Natural Variations Are Expected
- Decks often combine different wood types—Mahogany, Cedar, and Redwood—each absorbing stain differently.
- Initially, stained wood may appear slightly orangish or pinkish, but this fades to natural browns and tans within 30-40 days.
- We recommend light brown tints to avoid permanent orange or pink hues common in red-tinted stains.
- Feathering: A Natural Process
- Redwood top caps may develop “feathering” (sometimes mistaken for splintering) in the first year or two due to milling.
- Our crew will sand feathered areas at your next scheduled service at no additional cost.
- Feathering naturally subsides within 12-18 months and rarely requires board replacement, which we avoid to maintain a uniform deck appearance.
- Wear & Weathering: Part of Your Deck’s Character
- Sun exposure, foot traffic, and pet activity will create variations in the deck’s appearance.
- Areas with more sun and use will wear differently than shaded, low-traffic areas—this is normal and enhances the natural beauty of real wood.
- Pets, especially large dogs, may leave scratches—part of the unique character of a well-loved deck.
- The Best Approach: Protect, Not Perfect
- Additional coats of stain won’t fix uneven wear; full sanding and restaining are required but should only be done every 4-6 years.
- Routine cleaning and staining is the most effective, cost-efficient way to protect your deck.
Each year, your deck will look slightly different—this is the beauty of natural wood and outdoor living.
35 Years of Maintaining Beautiful Outdoor Spaces:
Embrace the character of your real wood deck! Stick with regular maintenance to keep it protected, beautiful, and long-lasting. If you have concerns about wear, we’re here to help—schedule your next service today!
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If the market value of your home is important to you – as it is for many – adding a custom deck can increase your house value.
If you’re considering adding a custom deck to your home, reach out to HFS Financial for all of your home improvement financing needs. HFS makes it easy to fund your project with minimal documentation requirements, no equity or appraisal needed, and direct-to-consumer funding.
Adding or improving an existing deck can add a number of beneficial features to your home. Not only can a new deck improve the value of your property, but it can also make your home more enjoyable for you and your family.
HFS Financial also offers 120% financing, allowing you some financial wiggle room for those unexpected hiccups that you may find along the way of your deck-building journey. All funds are paid directly to you, the consumer, so there’s no need to coordinate contractor work with payout schedules. Handle your project your way.
Once we’ve received your information through our 60-Second Loan Application, you will be notified of possible loan options quickly to discuss and review your loan terms and the home improvement project you have in mind.
My husband Matt and I [...] have moved away from the home where we had the beautiful deck and outdoor living space you created. We will forever remember fondly that beautiful deck, and the hard work you did during a very bad economic time to fix problems around the foundation of our home. Steve, Keith, and all of your workers were fabulous and we sent several of our friends your way with referrals. We are sure that your deck helped us get a wonderful offer on our home.
We just wanted to tell you how much we enjoy the decks DeckTec constructed at our home. Their use is a constant joy. We continually receive compliments on the design and quality of your work. We look forward to many years of use.
DeckTec are absolute pros. They just finished a big deck and roof cover project at my house. The total experience from working with Steve in Design and Sales, Keith in Project Management, and Charlie, Josh, and Hank in Construction was nothing but 6 star service. 100% on time and on budget with craftsmanship and quality. Skip the “Hammer and Nails” contractors and go with DeckTec if you want an “Outdoor Living Space”. Call these people – you will not be disappointed.
I just wanted to let you know how pleased I am with the work Decktec completed refinishing my deck. It hasn’t looked this good since it was new sixteen years ago. Decktec was very professional, polite and willing to work with me to get the exact color of stain I wanted. I would recommend Decktec to anyone who wants a complete job from the great construction work starting the job, to its thorough cleanup. I’m happy my neighbor referred me to Decktec. You are the fourth company I’ve had refinish my deck and will now be the only company I use going forward.
