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WADE BUILDING SUPPLIES | PERSON CLEANING WOODEN DECKING WEARING GREEN WELLINGTON BOOTS

Winter is Coming! | Get your Wood Deck & Sleepers Ready During Autumn

The Autumnal Colours are a Signal for us to prepare our Gardens for the Cold Winter Months ahead.

We can ensure our beloved Outdoor Space looks as stunning in the Winter as it did through your Summer.

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When the long-awaited Spring Months come, you will quickly be able to prepare your Garden for Outdoor Living again.

As you prepare your Garden, it is essential not to Neglect your Wooden Decking, Garden Sleepers and Fences.

Whilst Garden Sleepers Wooden Decking and Fence Posts tend to come Readily Treated an Annual Treatment will ensure the Lifespan is Prolonged.

Decking Cleaning

The Autumn Winds tend to bring Debris from High Winds, such as Tree Debris, including Leaves, Twigs and Moss. The winds can also whip up General Dirt and Rubbish.

If left on affected areas of your Decking, this type of Organic Material could Rot down into your Wood Deck.

Over time this type of Rot will penetrate the Wood causing Weakening of the Decks Wood.

So start with a thorough Sweep using a Stiff Bristled Brush.

It would be best if you did this throughout your Wood Decking Lifespan, and with the Minimal Effort of a quick Sweep, your Wood Deck will last longer.

Remember to pop any Organic Debris into your Composter or Garden Waste Bin.

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Having enjoyed your Decking there is no doubt you have Furniture, Plant Pots, maybe a Barbecue on your Deck Area. 

It's time to move everything from your Wood Decking before Deep Cleaning.

If you can move Furniture to Storage, this is the perfect situation as left on Wood Decking through the Winter may Produce Damp Spots.

When this is not Practical, and Chairs, Plant Pots are being left on the deck's Wood, moving everything on your Monthly Sweep is a Good Idea to ensure you release any Trap Moisture.

With your Decking Swept and all Furniture removed, this is an excellent time to Inspect your Decking, as any large Cracks may need filling to avoid damaging the Wood further through the Wet, Cold Winter Months.

Maintaining Decking is not a Tough Job, but filling Cracks may be a little more complicated, but there are plenty of Products on the Market that are perfect for the job.

Clean Decking

Depending on the Condition of your Decking, you should be able to remove dirt using Warm Water and a Stiff Brush, but there may be times when your Decking needs a Deep Clean.

Before investing in a Power Washer, we recommend trying a Garden Hose and a Scrub with a Broom which should remove any Moss and Grime.

A thorough cleaning of your Wood Deck using a Deck Cleaner every 8 Weeks through the Winter will prolong the life of your Wood Deck.

Using a Pressure Washer

If you decide to Clean your Decking with a Pressure Washer, we recommend you Clean your Deck first using a Scrubbing Broom and Deck Cleaner.

Use the Pressure Washer on a Low Setting to rinse the Cleaning Solution from your Decking.

Check all Grime, Moss and Algae have Lifted, and this will completely transform your Discoloured Decking to its former glory.

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Decking Stain

Going through these easy Steps means you now have clean Decking, and a Final Step is to apply Stain or Decking Oil.

Make sure to remove any existing paint or stain, and your clean Decking should now be ready to apply stains.

When selecting Decking Oil, always follow the Manufacturer Guidelines, and your oil should now brush on smoothly.

You can now relax and enjoy your Decking through the Winter Months and the Summer, ensuring you have a deck that is free from dirt and grime and will last through many seasons to come.

Autumn is also a great time to lay, Decking with Softer Ground and cooler Weather.

Why not lay your Decking this Autumn using a Value pack of Deck Boards.

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What about Softwood Railway Sleepers

If you are lucky enough to have or are planning to install Green Treated Sleepers or Brown Treated Railway Sleepers, it will be a good idea to prepare your Garden Sleepers for the Winter.

The level of care required for your Sleepers is dependent on whether you purchased Railway Sleepers Treated or Untreated.

Treated Sleepers will typically be either Green or Brown.

Green Treated Sleepers tend to be Tanalised.

Tanalised Green Treatment is a deep tanalisation into the Timber Cells.

Green Railway Sleepers have a Green Tinge, which over time will turn a Light Brown and then a Silvery Grey if they are not Painted.

Brown Railway Sleepers are typically Pressure Treated with Tanalith pressure injected into the Timber.

A treated Garden Sleeper will typically have a LifeSpan of 8-12 Years. However, with some straightforward care, you can increase the Life Span of your Sleeper.

During Autumn, we would recommend cleaning any dirty Sleepers using a hose and a light cleaning solution.

Rinse away any Solution with Clean Water and ensure your Railway Sleepers are free from mould or algae.

After giving your Railway Sleepers a scrub and once free from Algae and mould, check for any signs of Rot.

If you do find some rot, use a wet rot wood hardener on the affected areas of your garden sleeper.

If you want to retain your Garden Sleepers Natural Colour, use wood preservatives such as a clear deck oil that contains UV filters.

Alternatively, use a Coloured wood protector adding two or three coats for extra protection.

Finally, if you have cut your Treated Sleeper, add an extra layer of Treatment to the Sawn Area.

Autumn Time is fantastic for Laying Sleepers.

In particular, using Wooden Sleepers for Raised Beds are very popular during the Autumn months, as the Soil and the Raised Bed will be ready for use come the following Spring.

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For Sleeper Best Prices, consider a Value Pack - Click here for both Green Railway Sleepers and Brown Railway Sleeper Packs.

If you require a Larger Pallet Pack of Sleepers, don't hesitate to contact us here for Prices and Free Delivery.

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