When you have a deck, you need to carefully inspect the deck boards from time to time. The truth is that it isn’t enough to look at the surface where you and your guests walk. You also need to make sure that everything is just in the right place. After all, your deck is subjected to all kinds of weather conditions, which make it vulnerable.
Even though deck boards won’t cause a deck to fall, the truth is that when we have a couple of deck boards that aren’t in the right conditions and are near with each other, they can create some weak places or tripping hazards where someone can fall. And you want to make sure that you prevent it.
One of the main problems that decks tend to have is usually related to the installation process. Unlike what you may think, simply following the manufacturer’s instructions can actually prevent most of these problems.
There are three main issues that you need to watch for and inspect on your deck boards to keep them nice:
#1: Warping:
Warping is any deformation that you can see on your deck boards. This can include twisting, cupping, or others. Most of the times, the main cause that leads to warping is the fact that during the installation of the deck, there is a restriction of the airflow.
One of the best things about warping is that they can be easily spotted. However, the only thing that you can do when you have a warping board is to replace it by another one.
#2: Protruding Fasteners:
Protruding fasteners are one of the main causes of injuries such as falls and cuts. Fasteners include bolts, screws, and nails. There shouldn’t be any kind of problem, however, since your deck is exposed to all kinds of climate and climate changes, the boards will be constantly expanding and contracting. So, they can get loose over time.
So, make sure that you take a walk through your entire deck and see how your fastener looks like, If you notice that some screws or nails have popped up, you need to hammer and drill them back into their place. However, make sure they are still in good conditions. In case you notice that they are slipping out, then use a new fastener in a different place on the board.
#3: Rot:
One of the main things that lead to rot is the fact that there isn’t a good moisture drainage. This means that if the deck boards don’t have a minimum gap between them as well as a slight pitch from the house, you may end up with rot problems. However, you may even have the right deck installation and still have rot. In this case, the problem may come from the debris that is getting accumulated in your deck.
When you do not take the time to clean the dirt and the leaves from your deck, including between the boards, it can lead to water retention which is just the perfect situation for rot to occur.
The best way to do a rot inspection is to use a narrow object like a screw driver. Just grab it and use it to poke around each one of the deck boards to see if you feel any soft spots. There are areas on your deck that you need to pay more attention to like the railings or the ledger boards because they can easily trap moisture and debris. And the reason is that these are the areas where the boards meet other parts of your deck.
Even though inspecting your deck may seem a bit overwhelming and tedious, your safety and your family’s comes first.