A wood deck in Central Ohio goes through a lot in a year: snow and ice sitting on the boards, repeated freezing and thawing, spring rain, and humid summers that invite mildew. Without some care, boards gray, split, and eventually rot.
Start each spring with a close look. Check for soft spots, loose railings, popped nails or screws, and boards that have split or cupped. Pay extra attention to stairs and to the ends of boards, where water tends to soak in first. Anything soft should be replaced before someone steps through it.
Next comes cleaning. A careful wash removes dirt, mildew, and old flaking finish. Too much pressure can gouge the wood and raise fibers, so the pressure and cleaner need to match the surface. After washing, the deck needs a few dry days before any stain goes on.
Stain or sealer is what actually protects the wood. Penetrating stains soak in and wear gradually, and they're easy to refresh every couple of years. Solid stains and deck paints hide more of the grain and older wear, but they can peel if they're not applied over a clean, dry, well-prepped surface.
If your deck is past the point of a simple refresh, or you're ready for a new one, we can repair boards and framing, rebuild stairs and railings, or build new, then finish it with a stain made for Ohio weather.