You may notice weak spots in your deck. The nails may be sprung up or loose in a few places. Perhaps the deck even seems to be slanted or even pulling away from your house. Maybe you’ve noticed a bit of a sway when you step out the door onto your deck. These are all indications of trouble, but replacing your entire deck is a costly and often difficult adventure.

If your deck is relatively new and you’ve maintained it fairly well; a closer inspection will likely reveal that a simple board replacement or other minor type of repair will have your deck back in top shape within no time. Before deciding to tear the whole thing out, you’ll want to consider inspecting the base of your posts for elements, including checking for rot, inspecting the area under your deck where it attaches to the house to assure that it is properly bolted and supported, and inspecting for rotted or splintered joists. The cost of needed repairs will likely be much less than a full deck replacement.

Once your deck is back up to par, it’s important to be sure that it is protected from the elements, in order to increase its lifespan. Wood stain is a better option than paint for most decks, and even older decks can be brought back to vibrant life with the rich uniform look of a wood stain. The stain itself sinks into the wood, offering protection to the wood fibers from moisture and sunlight. For the best results and added life to your deck, stain should be applied every couple of years. For added protection, good water repellant can be applied after staining. However, some outdoor deck stains offer water repellant protection too.

Don’t wait until you have problems to do something about it. Take care of the issues at first sight. Delays can create more problems and more expenses down the road if not taken care of. After all, you want to enjoy that porch swing and the beautiful weather that nature brings.