Wood Decking Maintenance in Bulgaria

There may be many people in Bulgaria who have decking as an outside part of their garden or yard. These wooden structures should have many years of life in them but they do need looking after.

Every year you should make an inspection on your deck and look for loose boards and rotting wood. Rotting wood is present and associated with discolouration or mold. There will be a softness when pressed on with something solid such as a screwdriver. If there is any evidence of soft wood or dry rot you need to replace these before moving onto the next stage.

Prepare the wood surfaces by getting rid of loose surface finishes and paint.
You need to use a sharp paint scraper to scrape away any solid stain, paint or other debris. If it doesn't not come off by scraping the sanding method will have to come into play.

If its a film finish you have, e.g. varnish or paint, chemical stripper will be needed. Rubber gloves and eye protection should always be worn with this treatment.

Follow the chemical stripper directions exactly, Usually you'll just administer it it in smaller sections, then scrape the loosened finish away from the wood. For stubborn areas you may have t wait a while then apply another coat. Tight corners can be reached by using a putty knife. You need to rinse the stripper away usually with a hose to give you a bare wood platform.

It is very important for the decking now to be cleaned and to do this you will need to apply some decking cleaner. There are a variety of deck cleaners or deck restorers on the market even in Bulgaria. They usually fall into three types:

Chlorine Bleach cleaners
These are to be avoided as they will harm the wood and leave an unnatural whitewash appearance. They are also known to cause fuzzing of the wood fibers. Why they sell them for these jobs is still a mystery.

Oxygen Bleach cleaners
This type, when mixed with water creates a hydrogen peroxide and soda ash cleaning base. Good for mildew stains and graying caused by ultra-violet sun exposure and also a good recommendation for cleaning the wood of dirt and deposits. Rest assured the wood will return to its original colour after using this type of decking cleaner.

Oxalic Acid Based cleaners
This type is not effective for the removal of mildew stains but is effective for removing tannin stains.

Your deck cleaner is purchased now you can get to work.....

It would be a good idea to protect any surrounding shrubbery with some plastic cloth or sheets. It might also be a good idea to spray down down the surrounding area so there is standing water this will immediately dilute any deck cleaner accidentally off target.

Mix the deck cleaner according to directions and put on your eye protection and rubber gloves, very important this even in hot weather!

Spray the deck cleaner according to manufacturer's instructions usually telling you to take on small sections. The deck cleaner will do the business.

Let the cleaner set for a period of time as recommended by the manufacturer, usually between 10 and 20 minutes.

Once it has been working for the specified time, then using a hard bristled push broom, scrub the deck clean. Work with the wood grain, not against it.
Rinse with water and repeat the process on the next section of deck.

You'll need top wait a couple of days without rain before finishing the project. Buy a clear or semi-transparent stain if you want the grain of the wood to show through or a solid stain if you want the finish to look like paint. Don't just use paint.

You should make sure the stain or sealer is labeled "Water Repellent" Especially important in Bulgaria not to use clear finishes such as polyurethane or varnish as they will degrade under the strong sun's UV rays.

You can use a roller on big flat areas but the wood might be very porous and absorb the sealer or stain quickly so don't be stingy otherwise you'll have to do it all over again.

A Brush will be required for railings, balusters and between the decking boards.

Once dry you should be clear for another few years at least but you will need to still check on a yearly basis.