Tuesday, June 26, 2012

All hands on deck!


Ewwww!  Look at that nasty deck!  

Because my home has so much shade, the deck accumulates spots of mildew.  So, before I host my annual July 1st Canada Day Sangria party, I wanted to give her a sprucing up. 

I choose a product that would work specifically on mold and mildew (about $12 -- and there's lots left for future summers).  I  brushed it on in small patches  and scrubbed it with this specific stiff-brush.  (No wire brushes please!  Those gouge the wood.)    


It was hard work!  But look at the lovely difference it made.



Because this product contains a bleach ingredient, you have to leave it for 2 days before you re-stain.  Easy peasy!  Two days in the lovely sunshine to dry and cure.


Then it began to rain gently all weekend.  No re-staining! And the weather man said it would rain all week.  Egads!  What's a charming hostess to do?


Thank goodness for my wonderful boss.  The weather changed (as it is wont to do!!), and yesterday the sun came out bright and hot.  By 2 pm, the deck was once again dry; so Sandy took the afternoon off to stain her deck -- because it's rain again for the rest of the week.

And here she is, her lovely self, looking all pretty in teal.  
And as you can plainly see, the weather man was not wrong.  The rain has once more begun.


Fingers crossed for July 1st; it would be so nice to sit outside and enjoy her loveliness rather than on the sofa gazing wistfully out the patio doors!


I'm told that this will be a yearly occurrence -- dealing with not just the mildew but the usual wear and tear on a deck.  Anyone out there with sage advice?








12 comments:

Pamela Gordon said...

Sandy your deck looks great. I really like that colour too. Our deck looks so bad. It's in desperate need of a cleaning and new stain. I think you're doing the right thing to do it every year. It looks like you used a good product. I just hope the rain doesn't ruin the new stain. It's pouring here again today after a break yesterday. But, they are 'saying' the weekend will be nice. I wonder if they are just getting our hopes up because it's the long weekend. I hope you will be able to enjoy your Canada Day celebration out on your deck this year.

wendy said...

Ended up looking great. We stained our deck last summer. Pretty big job, but I loved it.

Jack Tyler said...

That's a beautiful job, probably better than you'd get if you hired a "professional." In this age of modern convenience, it seems that elbow grease remains the best cleaning product yet discovered...

Sweet Tea said...

No advice, but she sure is lovely!

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

My husband just seals the deck every other year with some kind of varnish/sealer and it always looks great. He used to do it on his hands and knees, but now he does it with some kind of mop. The deck is 10 years old and looks terrific.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

I think staining the deck is about an every 2 or 3 year occurrence. My deck here at the camper doesn't have mildew but otherwise looks like yours before you did the cleaning and staining. It just wears off after awhile. I love the color of yours. You do have a nice boss to let you go home. The weather here is predicted to be hot hot hot with little rain at all. Hope you can get to enjoy your beautiful deck.

My Little Home and Garden said...

Your deck looks great and is such a great colour. No deck here, I'm picking the weeds from between the patio stones. It's become something of a annual tradition! Have fun at your sangria party on Canada Day!
-Karen

Dawn said...

Wow, you were a hard working gal. But it looks wonderful, I hope the rain holds off for your party:) You can pass it this way if you want we are having a drought.

TARYTERRE said...

TEAL. I LOVE teal. It's beautiful. Hope those raindrops fall somewhere else, so all that Sangria can be consumed outside on the restained deck. LOL ENJOY! take care.

Diana said...

My mother had my son pressure wash hers every year. I don't have that problem probably because it's so dry here. Severe drought dry! I don't even remember the last time it rained.
The waiting was worth it Sandy. your deck looks beautiful and I hope your party goes off without a hitch!!
I wonder if you can use that product on basement walls? Or if it's just for wood.
Love Di ♥
P.S. I love the color of your deck, I painted mine Chocolate!

Sweet Bee Cottage said...

Your deck looks marvelous! Here's hoping for a glorious, sunny, dry Canada Day!

Haddock said...

As good as a new one :-)

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