The Longmont Colorado weather is harsh on decks. The UV index in Colorado is one of the highest in the nation during the summer months, and that means any flat-surface whether painted or stained, that is exposed to extensive direct sunlight will not last as long as a vertical (exterior wall) finish. That, combined with standing moisture, dry Colorado air and seasonal temperature fluctuation (expansion and contraction) creates an extreme environment for your deck’s finish. The bottom line is that if you want longevity out of the structural wood in your deck, you need to paint or stain it more often than the rest your house to ensure its protection.
Regardless of what the paint and stain manufacturers claim in their product warranty, regular maintenance is the only viable solution. As a general rule of thumb, we expect your deck finish to last no more that five to seven years (at most), before resurfacing is needed to avoid damage to the underlying wood. Once you start to see those fine line cracks along the grain of the deck’s wood, it’s past time to resurface.
When we arrive, we perform the following process:
- Inspect deck for water damage and dry rot. See Deck Inspection below.
- Power wash entire deck.
- Replace wood that is beyond repair.
- Scrape and sand all surfaces needed for fine finish coat.
- Apply primer and/or finish coatings from Stains, solids, oil base, water base,varnishes and paints as required.
Deck Inspection
Avina Painting Group offers the following information as a courtesy to our customers, and to give you an opportunity to do your own inspection. We hope this information if helpful.
Depending on the age of your deck, and how well it has been maintained plays a significant role in the longevity of your deck staining and painting project.
Older decks are suspect to water damage, as they are a flat surface, and hold moisture when it rains, snows, or when you rinse it off. One method we use to identify rotting wood is to simply tap on it with a hammer. Hard (solid) wood makes a higher pitch, and kicks back when being struck with a light blow. Older rotting and split wood that has become punky, has a spongy feel when being tapped on with a hammer. It carries almost no sound pitch, and exposes its flaw to such inspection. Another method is simple visual inspection. If the wood has long cracks along the grain, it has been absorbing water and is suspect, but possibly salvagable depending on how long the existing cracks have been there. The hammer test reveals whether or not we can fill the cracks in the boards, or that they simply must be replaced. Painting over deck material that is damaged beyond repair will produce poor results. If your deck needs boards replaced, we will let you know during the free estimate process, so there are no surprises.
Deck Restoration Paint & Stain Options
Avina Painting Group recommends that you paint your deck with top-rated materials, or a preferred product based on your budget. We offer premium lines of paints from these fine Longmont suppliers. Click on their respective logo for more information on their products.
Call Avina Painting Group of Longmont for a free estimate!
