Deck Work

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Ipe in all its glory. The four or so boards on the bottom are washed but not yet stained. The rest of the boards are stained with Defy for Hardwoods. We used a mix of Butternut, Cedar, and a sprinkle of Redwood Tone. Interesting to see how each board is totally unique in color and grain. It had been four years since I last washed and stained this 15 year old deck off San Andreas Road in South County Santa Cruz. It obviously cleaned up nicely and the final look is better than new. Am I right or what?

High-End Transparent Stain Work

Los Gatos California

Every three years like clockwork for this 500s/f Redwood Deck in Live Oak. Deck Maintenance intervals can vary throughout Santa Cruz County. This particular deck doesn’t get nearly the everyday sun exposure that perhaps an exposed deck in the hills of Soquel might. It doesn’t remain wet or damp for long periods of time like it might in Boulder Creek or the like. There aren’t a lot of tall trees dropping constant debris on this deck. There aren’t kids and dogs and barbecue parties happening on this beauty either. So yeah, every three years it is it’s been.

Deck Staining & Maintenance plans. Santa Cruz, Aptos, Scotts Valley, Capitola

This is common. Sometimes I am able to find out exactly why something like this has happened, and sometimes I am not. The remedies are numerous and it usually doesn’t involve doing too much about it immediately. The reason something like this happens are also numerous and usually involve some combination of improper application and/or over application of a transparent stain. Transparent stains can easily be built up over time. Building up the coats on a single application can easily encourage the stain to peel. A transparent stain that peels doesn’t make any homeowner happy. It’s just awful, and in many cases very orange. Double Awful. If this is your deck, let’s talk. Deck staining and maintenance in Santa Cruz County has been a specialty of ours since 2001.

We spend about six weeks every summer in the Truckee area. This home gets a couple weeks worth of attention within every stint. There are some problem areas that pay to stay ahead of, and those can range. This house is beautiful. It’s also giant. There are about a half dozen spots on the second story where snow build up has really done a number on the bottom portions of this beautiful cedar siding. In addition, there is one pitch of the house that gets heaps of hot sun made hotter by the metal roof. The deck is Ipe and there are some trouble spots from water run-off. So there are about six boards that lose all their stain every year, and I don’t like it. Therefore, annual staining and maintenance is needed to stay well ahead of any outdoor board needing to be replaced. And we mean any..

Deck Staining & Maintenance.

Santa Cruz, Truckee, Los Gatos, Scotts Valley, Aptos, San Lorenzo Valley

Shingle and Siding Maintenance Professionals

Santa Cruz Deck Staining and Maintenance. Serving SC County since 2001.

Small little deck on the upper west side Santa Cruz. Seemed pretty neglected. I was told that the deck was made by the homeowner, and it showed. it was built in 2009, and it appeared like the homeowner used some sort of sealant. Many of the boards were now too close together which is never going to be a great thing for the life of the deck. However, there is never a wrong time to begin the process of maintaining a wood deck. Especially Ipe. We know they last forever. Looking good forever is a different story. Santa Cruz Ipe Deck Maintenance. Wood Shingles & Siding. Aptos Capitola Santa Cruz Scotts Valley Felton Boulder Creek Truckee

Santa Cruz County Deck and Wood Shingle Maintenance

This is a new deck. Nine months old to be exact. As recommended, the homeowner waited some time for the boards to properly dry, oxidize, do their thing. The picture in the middle and on the right are unique in that they show a finished tone up against a strip of clean wet boards. Not soaking wet boards, rather boards that were once wet with water but are now drying a bit and heading towards damp. Damp (clean) boards are a tone that many homeowners are fond of. In other words, “I like how the deck looks when it’s wet,” said the homeowner. The picture on the left is a bit more of a close-up. You can see the finished portion in the upper right of the picture, and you can also see a finished board in the middle that is beading water. The other boards are at various stages of being wet/damp.

These 20y/o shingles face west. So far as shingle maintenance goes, my recommendation for shingles that face west is to love them up every eight years or so. These went ten. Yes these shingles were dirty, blackened to a degree, quite a number of them were greenish, so yes they probably waited a bit too long. Nevertheless…

2:45pm March PDT

Cedar Tone Shingle Maintenance Santa Cruz

Decks, Fences, Shingles, Custom Arbors

Aptos, Scotts Valley, Santa Cruz

2008 post:***This deck is located near East Cliff in Santa Cruz. The wood is probably about 15 years old and still looking great. The key is annual deck maintenance! We took over the maintenance in 2003 after years of neglect. These pictures also demonstrate how transparent stains allow the true grain of the wood to reveal itself.  This is Biowash Natural Deck Oil (redw tone) and I believe it is still a little bit wet.

Update 2021:  I promise this deck still looks like what is shown in pics, coming up on 30 y/o

   Not sure why I decided to put these two photos together in the same post.  Each photo represents a completely different section of this glorious deck, facing a different direction altogether.  And of course it’s a different time of day after a much stormier kind of night.  

One common bond is that both pictures represent a finished look after a fresh coat of high end water based transparent stain.  This deck is 10 months new.  Good times.

Santa Cruz County Deck Staining & Maintenance

Wood Siding, Shingles, Arbors, Privacy Areas

2022 Inquiries best to email and include some photos

cleaningsantacruz at gmail dot com

Deck Floss

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As important as it is to maintain the surface of wood boards on a deck, it is equally as important to keep ALL debris clear of the spaces between the boards. Debris will continue packing in there until it begins to eat away at the wood. Proper air flow and water run-off is key! Pic of a deck off Summit Road.

Door Mats

Door mats will leave your wood boards looking like this. Is it a big deal? Well not to me it’s not, and it shouldn’t be to you. Everybody is told the same thing which is to put the door mat back over it.

Night and Day

Routine Semi-Extraordinary before and after.  This deck is about 10 years old I’d say, and it was headed south in a hurry.  Wish I had a picture of the deck after we stained it.  You’ll have to use your imagination..

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SC Deck Maintenance – Custom Deck Staining Santa Cruz

Testing 123

Just having a bit of fun testing a few colors on this old wood deck on Palisades Ave. on Pleasure Point.  Love our work on outdoor wood decks.  Endless referrals furnished upon request.

Santa Cruz Deck Staining

Shingle Maintenance

Hardwood Deck San Lorenzo Valley.

Every couple years we make it better than new. It’s more cost effective that way. Every deck will have different maintenance needs.

..Or in this deck’s case, morning rain and pollen, followed by afternoon sun. 14 year old South Facing Ipe deck that really battles the outdoor elements.

Truckee, Lake Tahoe, Los Gatos, Santa Cruz & Monterey Counties. Custom Wood Deck & Shingle Maintenance.

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