NEW DECK (Answer)

Good day Eian,

The most common mistake with redwood decks is not sealing them with water repellent. If wood is left unsealed, it will decay, darken, and eventually rot. The best way to preserve your redwood is to seal all pieces of decking materials before construction. Also when choosing a sealer, you may consider one with a mildew-cide additive to preserve the color of your wood. If you like the weathered look of redwood, you can still seal it. Then use a stain with a bleaching agent to achieve a weathered look. Your local paint store can help you decide the product that most fits your needs. Water repellent or sealer can be applied with a roller, brush, or spray. When applying stain use a brush only. To help preserve your deck, I recommend that you reapply the sealer every eighteen months to two years.
When getting bids from contractors it is important to put together a scope of work to be done. By having such a list for the contractors from which to bid, it is easier to compare prices, because all the contractors are bidding on the same things. You won’t have one bidding with sealer and one bidding without. Here are some things to include in a scope of work agreement:


 All wood to be sealed before construction of deck
 Brand and style specific of sealer and stains
 Number of coats of stain
 Type of hardware to be used
 A working set of plans


Thanks for the question,



Al



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