For maintenance, wooden decks usually require the most upkeep. You don’t have to spend so much when maintaining a wood deck. Schedule maintenance and use a standard deck cleaner each spring to take away dirt and debris. Then, the deck should be sealed to protect it from the elements. This not only makes your wooden deck look good, but it also makes it more resistant to splintering, rot, and mold.
After years of use, your carefully maintained deck will have to be stained or repainted to stay in good shape. This process takes the longest, a given for wooden decks, but necessary to keep property values high. The procedure for repainting the deck is to remove old paint, sand the wood planks, then repaint. It is important to choose high-quality paint designed for outdoor use. Before staining the deck you have to prep the wood before applying the new coat of stain. Both stained and painted wood should be coated with a sealant for maximum weather resistance.
The amount of care that wood decks require has made property owners look into vinyl planks. Vinyl decks need to be cleaned but it is far easier to manage. Because vinyl is already extremely durable and weather-resistant, most vinyl planks will need a good scrub with warm water and mild soap to stay looking like new.
If your Georgetown property has a patio instead of a deck, you might assume that there is no maintenance. But this is false. Regular sweeping is not enough since concrete and stone patios can still become dirty and stained. That’s why thoroughly cleaning the patio at least once or twice a year is mandatory. Concrete can be hosed off, and pressure washed or scrubbed with a bristle brush. Use a degreaser for stubborn stains. To avoid damaging the surface of natural stone pavers, these must be cleaned carefully. It would be a wise decision to seal both concrete and stone since dirt and stains cannot settle in easily so cleaning it would be much less of a hassle.
Lastly, no deck or patio is ever complete without outdoor furniture. Your outdoor décor or furniture needs to be regularly cleaned and maintained too. Use mild dishwashing liquid mixed with water and a soft-bristle brush to clean outdoor furniture. Cover items and store them indoors if possible when they are not in use. Maintaining wooden furniture and wooden decks is similar. Clean, seal, or repaint every year. For fabric cushions or pillows, surface cleans them with a mild soap solution and it’s best to air-dry them to prevent mildew.
There you have it, these simple maintenance tasks can make your rental property’s deck or patio looking like the outdoor oasis renters want.
If you want to know more about maintaining your property, a Georgetown property manager at Real Property Management DC Metro is always at your service. You can contact us online or call us at 202-269-0303 for more information.