At Absolute Painting & Power Washing we get called to inspect and maintain many decks every year. Most people call us to clean or stain their decks to get them to last a long time which is a great idea. I usually recommend doing some sort of maintenance to your outdoor decks every year to get the most life out of them.
Often time we see decks that are starting to be a safety concern. Obviously the higher off the ground your deck is the more of a concern that it should be for you to have it inspected. Some decks in the Portland area can be up off the ground 20-40 feet which could be a disaster if it falls apart.
Here are some things to look for when inspecting your decks to make sure they are safe. If you walk on the deck and it appears to move at all this should be a concern. If you feel that when you step in some areas that the boards are bowing and not supported well this should be looked at. Anytime you see that the deck is starting to pull away from the home.
The framing under the deck may have been made out of the wrong wood also. Typically the frame of a deck is made out of pressure treated lumber that is easy to recognize. This type of wood last much longer in the cold/wet weather and does not dry rot easily. If you see that any of the wood holding up your deck appears to be turning black or cracking badly you should get it inspected.
Our Construction Manager Chris Miller is highly skilled at deck construction and can come assess the condition of your deck. If he feels that an engineer should take a look at it, he will let you know who to contact. Decks are not meant to last forever especially when exposed to our Portland weather so be proactive and don’t let your deck be a safety issue. Call Absolute Painting & Power Washing if you are concerned.
