Twice a year sounds nice in theory, but honestly, who remembers to schedule deck inspections like dentist appointments? 😂 I usually end up noticing issues by accident—like the time my foot went straight through a rotten plank after a rainy week. Lesson learned the hard way. Now I just eyeball it whenever I'm grilling or chilling out there. If something looks sketchy, I poke around a bit more. Seems to work better than marking the calendar, at least for me...
Yeah, same here—I don't think I've ever actually scheduled a deck inspection. Usually, it's just me noticing something sketchy while I'm out there grilling or having a beer. One time, I leaned against the railing and felt it wobble way more than it should've... turns out the screws had rusted through underneath. Now I just give things a quick shake or stomp every now and then. Seems to catch most issues before they get serious.
Yeah, I hear you—usually it's those random moments that clue me in too. But honestly, after dealing with a rental property deck collapse scare a few years back, I've gotten a bit more methodical. Every spring, I do a quick walkthrough: check underneath for rot or rust, test railings, and eyeball the ledger board connection to the house (that's a biggie). Takes maybe 10 minutes tops, but it gives me peace of mind... especially if friends or tenants are using it regularly.
"Every spring, I do a quick walkthrough: check underneath for rot or rust, test railings, and eyeball the ledger board connection to the house (that's a biggie)."
Do you find that's enough? I'm renovating my first place now, and after seeing how sketchy some of the old deck supports were, I'm thinking twice a year might be safer...
Honestly, once a year usually does it for me too, but after my foot went straight through a rotten board last summer (fun times...), I'm thinking twice couldn't hurt. Ever checked your stairs closely? Those sneaky devils hide rot like nobody's business.