After what has felt like one of the coldest and longest winters, you’ve finally stepped outside to see what’s next. With spring here and the promise of blossoms, it’s time to get your outdoor space in tip-top shape. Don’t just focus on the interior of your home for this year’s spring cleaning – be sure to work on your exterior with a new spring project. If you don’t have a backyard deck, be sure to learn about the different styles of decks that would work best for your space. If you do have a deck, here’s how to get your deck looking brand new again for spring.
Step 1: Inspect Your Deck
Since your deck has likely been covered in snow, chances are you haven’t had the opportunity to give it a hard look. When the temperature permits, head outside and be on the lookout for cracks, splinters to the wood, or raised nails. For safety reasons, be sure to keep an eye out on the layout of your stair stringers as warping could be a sign of danger. Lastly, pay close attention to areas where the wood appears to have rotted – this might mean you have a larger project on your hands. If this inspection has you wondering if you should repair or replace your deck, we encourage you to connect with a deck pro for a second opinion.
Pro Tip: Pay close attention to areas that may be discoloured or that are soft to the touch. These might be indicators of wood rot.
Interested in finding out how much it costs to build a deck? Find the average cost of deck installations across cities in Canada below:
| City | Average | Minimum | Maximum |
| Calgary | $11,533 | $100 | $50,000 |
| Edmonton | $12,474 | $1,000 | $50,000 |
| Hamilton | $13,836 | $2,500 | $45,000 |
| Oshawa | $11,450 | $500 | $50,000 |
| Ottawa | $7,965 | $350 | $28,000 |
| Toronto | $13,565 | $135 | $50,000 |
| Vancouver | $6,456 | $300 | $30,000 |
*Costs based on 1,264 verified reviews by Canadian homeowners as of March 2022
Step 2: Wash Your Deck
Over the winter months, your deck goes through a lot. Falling leaves, freezing rain, and heavy snow are just a few of the elements that challenge your deck. That’s why we recommend starting off with a high powered leaf blower to ensure you’re removing all the accumulated debris. Once done, move to a power washer where you can start removing any built-up mold or mud. If you don’t have the right tools, thankfully a handyman does. You can hire a handyman for all of your spring cleaning projects this year.
Step 3: Protect Your Deck
Now that you’ve power washed your way to a sparkling clean deck, it’s time to protect it. Once the wood is completely dry, hire a paint contractor to give your deck a facelift with a fresh stain. A stain or sealant will protect your wood against the harsh UV rays that will destroy the materials over time. Outside of protection, a stain will actually make your wood look like new again! For an aged wood, we recommend using an opaque stain and for a new wood, we recommend a transparent stain.
Pro Tip: The darker the stain, the greater protection it will have against those harsh UV rays.
Step 4: Upgrade Your Deck
Since you’ve got your wood looking brand spanking new, you’ll need the rest of your outdoor space to match. A great way to upgrade your deck, without breaking the bank, is to remember what your deck needed last spring and summer. Would an outdoor canopy provide some much-needed shade from the heat? Is an outdoor sectional the perfect piece you need for hosting? Will a fire pit extend your outdoor living late into the season? Whatever it is, now is the time to get your space ready.
After a long, cold winter your backyard decks need a little TLC. With warm, sunny days on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to get your deck ready for when you’ll be using it the most. By following these tips and connecting with a local pro on HomeStars, your deck will be ready for Spring in no time!
