Taking Care of Your Waterproof Deck Coating

 

Your waterproof deck coating is designed to be highly resilient. It should stand up to the weather and to normal use. If you want to keep it looking great for a long time, however, you want to be sure that you’re following a few basic maintenance tips that will maintain your coating longer.

Annual Inspections

Annual inspections will prevent small problems with your waterproof deck coating from turning into big ones. You want to be sure that you haven’t missed anything or, worse, that you aren’t going to end up with a huge problem during the biggest storm of the season. An annual inspection will catch all those little problems so that you can fix them before they grow.

Wash Your Deck Regularly

Dirt and debris doesn’t take long to accumulate on an outdoor surface. Your waterproof deck coating can be negatively impacted by that accumulation of dirt and debris, so make sure you take the time to wash it down on a regular basis. Simply hosing it off to remove debris that could scratch the surface is usually enough to keep your deck in much better condition.

Refresh the Sealant

Every 2-3 years, you should take the time to reapply a top coat sealant to your waterproof deck coating. While the waterproof sealant is designed to last for a long time, refreshing the top coat is an expensive way to make the entire thing last longer. By the end of that third year, there’s not much topcoat protection left as weather and regular use wear it down. Refreshing it will keep the rest of your deck protected. This will keep your waterproof coating looking bright, too!

Take Care of Your Deck Coating

If you want to maintain your waterproof deck coating, there are several things that you should take care not to do. You want it to last long-term, so avoiding damage is critical!

Don’t screw things into place through the protective deck coating. Satellite dishes and other items should not be screwed into the surface of the deck. This will create holes in the protective coating, damaging it and causing it to be weaker in that spot.

Watch your grill. Charcoal grills, in particular, can send hot embers to the surface of the deck, burning through the waterproof deck coating quickly. Ash and other burning items can also be a problem. Consider another location for your grill or make sure that there’s no way for embers to reach the surface of the deck.

Don’t put down carpeting or other surfaces. Outdoor carpeting might refresh a deck that’s aging, but it will also spell the end of the deck’s usable life. The carpet will trap moisture, preventing the wood from drying as the waterproof coating fails and leading to dry rot and other issues.

Raise plants off the surface of the deck. Plants shouldn’t be allowed to sit directly on the surface of the deck, where water can accumulate beneath them, causing big problems for your deck over time.

Why Maintain Your Coating?

The waterproof coating on your desk is tough, but it’s not tough enough to hold up indefinitely without a little care. By following some basic maintenance, you can keep your deck looking great for a longer time.

You want the waterproof coating on your deck to last for a long time, keeping your deck both beautiful and functional for as long as possible. Taking care of your waterproof deck coating is the best way to do it! Whether it’s time for you to schedule an inspection with a certified applicator or you’re simply ready to install a waterproof coating on your deck, contact us to learn how we can help.