Preventative Steps to Take Care of Outside Wood

Over time the wood on your deck can become weak and discolored because of the weather. There are some preventative steps that you can take so the wood on the outside of your home will last longer and keep its natural beauty.

Here are some preventative steps to take:

* You should use either treated lumber or naturally decay-resistant lumber for your outdoor decks and other structures made of wood. You should never put any type of lumber that is untreated directly onto concrete.

* Make sure you thoroughly check and clean in between deck boards so debris and dirt that can get caught in between can retain moisture. You can also check the areas in between the deck and your home.

* Do a thorough inspection for paint that has began to peel, especially in the area near joints. Look carefully near mitered trim corners, the eve of the roof, and castings for both windows and door contact sills.

* Take a trowel and carefully probe these areas to look for wood that has become soft. If the wood does not feel soft or spongy it is probably still strong.

* Seal any cracks in wood with wood caulk. You can you can use screws to close up any miter joints that have opened up. Make some pilot holes for the screws so you do not split the wood. After this put the wood adhesive caulk in the joint before you drive the screws into the wood.

* If there is any bare wood make sure to sand it and keep it smooth. Then put some wood preservative before you apply any primer. Then caulk the joints after you prime the wood and before you put on the finishing coat. If you do this it will make it more likely that the paint bond onto the wood will last longer.

* Through trimmed post you can create ventilation by giving some space in order to for air to circulate between the floor and outlet vent at the top. You may have to cut a 1/2 inch of the bottom of the trim. You can lay a 1/2 inch thick board on the ground resting a handsaw while you make the cut. You can use louvers and press them into the drilled holes in order to vent the top of either the posts or columns.

* Do not put outdoor sheds against any wood siding. To keep the sheds solid you can elevate them above the ground on concrete blocks or pressure treated wood posts.

* Keep the vents in your crawl spaces open. This is especially the case in the summer.