5 Deck Maintenance Tips for Summer

July 16, 2017

deck maintenanceThere is no better time of year to take advantage of having a deck than in the summer. But your summer plans of barbecuing and sunbathing could get interrupted by poor deck maintenance.

Decks make an excellent addition to any home and backyard. They make it more enjoyable to be outside, and they’re a great social gathering spot in the warm months.

But over time, decks accumulate wear-and-tear, stains, and sometimes decay.

If your deck is in need of some work, it’s not too late to get it looking brand new. Here are 5 deck maintenance tips every homeowner needs to know this summer!

1. Keep Your Deck Clean

Before you begin, it’s important to get your deck as clean as possible.

As soon as the warm weather breaks, give your deck a good sweep. You can also check for debris that’s fallen through the boards with a putty knife.

Next, wash your deck. You want to remove any dirt or mold that’s accumulated over time.

A pressure washer can help remove dirt build-up on the grimiest of decks. It can also help you clean in between the boards.

Chemical strippers can help to remove tough stains. But if you’ve never worked with them, remodeling experts can help.

Most decks require basic soap and water. But if depending on the material of your boards, you may want to use a special cleaner. You can also try using a stiff-bristle brush.

Before you do any other maintenance on the deck, make sure it has a full night to dry. Try to avoid using the deck until it is thoroughly dry after cleaning.

2. Seal Your Deck

Sealing can preserve the look of your deck and protect it against water and sun damage. 

Decks need to be completely dried and sanded before sealing. This is a 2-day project, so make sure your weather forecast is not predicting rain.

Choose between a solid or semi-transparent stain. A semi-transparent finish is optimal, but solid stains can emphasize details like railings.

Using a roller, seal your deck with two thin coats of stain, making sure it doesn’t puddle. If you opt for a spray stain, make sure to properly cover any nearby plants or furniture.

3. Replace Loose or Popped Nails

There’s nothing worse than stepping on a nail that has popped or come loose.

Loose nails can be pried out with a hammer and replaced with a brand new nail using a screw.

Hammering a nail back into a hole is fine, but it’s only a temporary fix. Eventually, you’ll have to replace it again. That’s because the hole has become larger.

Use nails that are the same size as the nails in your deck. Just hammer in the replacement nail close to the hole.

Then, insert a deck screw so that its head covers the top of the nail. This will prevent the nail from popping out in the future. You can smooth over the rest of the hole with putty to cement the nail and deck screw further in place.

4. Remove Split or Rotting Wood

A split board on your deck not only looks bad but can increase the chances of catching splinters. This is also a good time to check for wood rot.

To remove a split board or a board that’s rotted, first, you want to mark the damaged area. Doing so will help you size the replacement board. You can also cut to size.

Wood rot tends to grow in areas that aren’t visible to the eye. So, make sure to check under your deck and between the boards.

Then, using a jigsaw power tool, remove the split board’s nails or screws. Once this is done, you can install the replacement board. Make sure the nails or screws are thoroughly in place before sanding.

5. Do Routine Deck Maintenance

Doing work on your deck can be tedious. Luckily, there are simple tasks you can do to ensure your hard work doesn’t go to waste.

To prevent stains, it’s important to regularly sweep your deck. Accumulated dirt and debris will stain your deck. Sitting water is also not good for the boards.

Chemicals used for lawn care or gardening can ruin your deck’s appearance. Be careful with any chemicals you use near your deck.

Above all, regular inspection is fundamental to deck maintenance. 

Keep Your Deck Looking Fresh This Summer

Spending time on your deck is one of the best parts of summer. But regular wear-and-tear, as well as weather, can wreck havoc on any deck.

By following these 5 tips, you can preserve the look and feel of your deck for years to come. To learn more about deck maintenance, or deck remodeling ideas , contact Fitzpatrick Painting today!

May 21, 2026
Multi-family properties take on a lot of daily wear. Residents move in and out, shared spaces see constant foot traffic, exterior surfaces deal with Oregon weather, and small issues can become noticeable quickly when many people use the same property every day. Regular property maintenance helps protect curb appeal, reduce tenant complaints, extend the life of building surfaces, and prevent small issues from turning into expensive repairs. For property managers, apartment owners, HOA boards, and facility managers, maintenance is not just about appearance. It is about keeping the property clean, safe, consistent, and easier to manage. When the building looks cared for, tenants notice, visitors notice, and the property feels more professional from the moment someone arrives. Maintenance Shapes How Tenants and Visitors See the Property People often form an opinion about a property before they ever step inside a unit. Clean walkways, fresh paint, maintained entries, and well-kept common areas can make the property feel organized and cared for. On the other hand, dirty siding, peeling paint, stained surfaces, and scuffed walls can make a property feel neglected, even if the individual units are in good shape. This matters for apartment communities, condos, HOAs, and other managed properties because first impressions affect tenant satisfaction, leasing interest, and the overall reputation of the property. A well-maintained exterior helps attract prospective renters, while clean shared spaces help current residents feel more comfortable where they live. Small Signs of Wear Can Become Bigger Problems A few scuffed walls, dirty entries, or peeling paint may not seem urgent at first. However, when these issues are left alone, they can make the entire property feel worn down. High-traffic areas such as hallways, stairwells, lobbies, doors, and trim often show damage first because residents, guests, vendors, and maintenance teams use them every day. Exterior surfaces also need attention, especially in the Willamette Valley where rain, moisture, moss, mildew, and seasonal changes can take a toll. Peeling paint can expose siding and trim to moisture, while dirty walkways and siding can make the property look older than it is. Routine maintenance helps property teams catch these issues early, before they become more expensive or disruptive to fix. Key Maintenance Services for Multi-Family Properties A strong maintenance plan usually includes a mix of services that protect the property inside and out. For multi-family buildings, this often includes interior painting, exterior painting, pressure washing, and scheduled maintenance painting. Each service plays a different role, but together they help keep the property clean, consistent, and tenant-ready. Interior Painting for Common Areas Common areas take a lot of daily wear. Hallways, stairwells, lobbies, shared rooms, doors, and trim can quickly collect scuffs, marks, and general wear from move-ins, foot traffic, maintenance work, and everyday use. When these areas look rough, tenants notice because they pass through them constantly. Interior repainting helps common spaces feel cleaner and better managed. It can refresh high-use areas, make hallways and entries feel brighter, and create a more consistent look across the property. For property managers, it is also a practical way to stay ahead of visible wear instead of waiting until the space feels neglected. Exterior Painting for Building Protection Exterior painting improves curb appeal, but it also helps protect the building. Painted surfaces such as siding, trim, fascia, doors, and railings are constantly exposed to weather. In the Willamette Valley, moisture can be a major concern, especially when older paint starts to crack, fade, or peel. Keeping exterior paint in good condition helps protect those surfaces while keeping the property looking consistent from one building or unit to the next. This is especially important for apartment communities, condos, and HOA-managed properties where the overall appearance of the property matters to residents, applicants, owners, and board members. Pressure Washing for Cleaner Surfaces Pressure washing is a practical way to refresh a multi-family property without taking on a major project. It helps remove dirt, mildew, algae, pollen, and buildup from siding, walkways, stairs, entries, patios, and other exterior surfaces. This can be especially helpful before painting, before leasing season, ahead of inspections, or as part of a routine maintenance schedule. Clean surfaces make the property feel fresher and more cared for. They can also help reduce slippery buildup in high-traffic exterior areas, which creates a cleaner and more comfortable environment for residents and visitors. Scheduled Maintenance Painting Scheduled maintenance painting helps property managers stay ahead of wear instead of reacting to complaints or last-minute repair needs. Rather than waiting until hallways, doors, trim, or exterior areas look worn down, a planned schedule gives the property team a clearer way to manage repainting over time. This can be especially helpful for larger properties or communities with multiple buildings. Painting can be handled in phases, high-traffic areas can be prioritized, and exterior work can be planned around weather and occupancy. For busy property managers, this removes one more thing to constantly track while keeping the property more consistently presentable.
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