Twice a year sounds pretty reasonable, honestly. I've seen decks look perfectly fine until suddenly they're not—like your neighbor's BBQ mishap (glad no one was hurt!). Usually, it's just minor stuff like loose railings or popped nails, but catching it early saves headaches later. Might be a bit cautious, sure, but peace of mind is worth the extra half-hour every few months...especially when potato salad safety is at stake.
Twice a year is spot-on. A quick look underneath for moisture damage or mold buildup is also helpful, especially in wetter climates—seen plenty of decks rot from below while topside looks perfect. Better safe than sorry when structural integrity's involved...or potato salad, lol.
"seen plenty of decks rot from below while topside looks perfect."
This reminds me of when we first moved into our place—deck looked great, but one day my foot went straight through a board near the grill. Turns out, underneath was like a mushroom farm. We rebuilt it using reclaimed wood and added some drainage features to keep moisture away. Curious if anyone's tried eco-friendly sealants or coatings? Wondering how they hold up compared to traditional stuff...
Good call on the reclaimed wood—it's usually denser and holds up better if properly treated. I've tested a couple eco-friendly sealants, mostly linseed oil-based ones. They're decent for repelling water, but honestly, they need reapplication more often than traditional products. Also, drainage is key... if moisture sits underneath, even the best coating won't help much. I'd say yearly checks underneath are essential, especially in damp climates. Learned that the hard way myself with a deck collapse a few years back—luckily no injuries, just bruised pride and wallet.
That's helpful to know about the eco sealants. I'm planning my first deck reno this summer and honestly hadn't even thought about drainage underneath—figured if I sealed the top, I'd be good. Rookie mistake, huh? Reminds me of when I redid my bathroom tiles and totally ignored waterproofing behind them... learned quickly that water finds its way everywhere. Guess I'll add crawling under the deck to my yearly chores list now, haha.
