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Check the Deck

The deck is an often-used area when it comes to outdoor entertaining, particularly over summer, so it is a good idea to check your deck before the summer entertaining season arrives to ensure that it is safe to use, and to pick up on any problems before they become serious.

Why Check your Deck?

Decks are an extremely popular way of adding living space onto the home, but as many as two percent of all decks have enough damage to be potentially fatal.  With modern decks this is not a problem, but many decks that were built in the sixties or seventies may not have been built to proper safety standards, using inappropriate timber that may be prone to rotting or collapse.  Some decks may have even been built illegally.

A routine check of your deck, regardless of its age, can also pick up on problems such as splitting timbers, warped timbers, loose or missing nails or screws, and surface problems such as moss.

Danger Signs in your Deck

Following are some danger signs that you should look out for in your deck:

• Always check the supporting beams and posts.  They should not feel soft, spongy or compressed.
  
• Ensure that all the supports for the deck are structurally sound if the deck is raised off the ground.  This includes timber, steel, and concrete supports.
  
• Check for loose handrails or balustrades as these can pose a serious safety hazard.
  
• Check that metal fixtures such as bolts, screws and brackets are not rusting.
  
• Check for any cracking in concrete.

If you are unsure at all about anything that you see in your deck, it is best to organise a professional inspection.  After all, it is better to be safe than sorry.

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