Keep your deck looking its best, and get it ready for next summer by following a few simple deck maintenance steps.

Summer is wrapping up, and winter is right around the corner, whether you like it or not. We all know that after months of cold ahead, that spring fever will set in, and nothing will be better than enjoying the fresh air on your deck.

However, many homeowners have to dedicate weekends in early spring to prepare their decks for the season—especially those with pressure treated decks that need to be cleaned and stained. If you want to skip right to enjoying your deck when the weather turns, there’s no better way to save time than to give your deck some TLC this fall by following these simple steps.

Thoroughly Clean Your Deck

By the end of summer, your deck has probably seen a fair share of meals, parties, and life in general, which means spills of food, drinks, and sunscreen. A great first deck maintenance step is to clean your deck.

Start by moving your furniture off the deck and sweeping your boards or using a leaf blower to remove any debris on the deck top, paying special attention to the gaps between boards where dirt can accumulate. After sweeping, lightly power-wash or scrub the boards with warm water and mild deck cleaning solution. For wood decks, you can use a harder bristle broom to get into the wood grain, but for composite boards, stick with a soft-bristled broom to do the job and prevent scratches. No matter your boards, always remember to sweep with the grain to reduce the potential for damage.

Inspect and Repair

After a good clean, you can examine the deck for any repairs you may need to make. If you see something wrong with a board now, colder temperatures and wet weather certainly won’t make it better by spring. Double-check the fasteners to see if there are any loose ones, check the security of the deck railings and the stairs, and even take a peek below the deck to evaluate the joists for any signs of rot.

If you have a wood deck, give your deck a barefoot walk-over to see if any spots may need to be sanded to prevent future splinters and slivers. Now is also an excellent time to check for any chips in the paint or stain and ensure any exposed wood is sealed and protected from wintry elements.

Get Your Deck Ready for Winter

If you plan on hanging out on your deck long into the fall, that’s great—just be sure to regularly sweep off leaves and debris so they don’t accumulate. Then, when it’s time to head inside for the winter, properly winterize your deck by covering your furniture or, ideally, storing it inside. If you notice some wear and tear on your furniture, like rust forming on chair legs, take the time now to clean, sand, and repaint them so they are set and ready come spring. Your future self will thank you.

Maintaining Your Deck Through Winter

If you live in an area that experiences heavy snowfall, be sure to clear the snow off of your deck promptly. Not only does snow add lots of moisture to your boards, but it can also put significant weight on your deck. Lighten the load by shoveling the top few layers of snow— don’t shovel your boards directly —then use a soft-bristled push broom to clear the rest of the snow from your boards if desired.

Deck maintenance doesn’t have to be a monumental chore. Following these simple steps will keep your deck in great shape and maximize your time to enjoy your outdoor living space.

Move over concrete—there’s a new and better floating foundation. 

When they first hit the market, concrete blocks seemed like the greatest thing since sliced bread. They were easily accessible and saved time compared to digging holes and pouring and curing concrete for foundations of freestanding outdoor projects. But now there’s a new product on the block that’s an easier, faster, and better way to create above-ground decks, platforms, and projects—the CAMO® BLOCK™.

While both concrete deck blocks and CAMO BLOCK are suitable for low-profile structures less than 30 in. tall, one is called the better floating foundation for a reason. We put the CAMO BLOCK head-to-head with old concrete blocks to see how they stack up and help you decide what to use for your next project.

Weight and Size

Concrete blocks are around 40 pounds each, so they’re good for getting a workout in, but all that heavy lifting may hurt your back. CAMO BLOCK, on the other hand, is heavy-duty without being heavy. It’s 18X lighter than concrete blocks, weighing in at 2.16 pounds.

Just because concrete blocks are heavier doesn’t mean they’re stronger. Thanks to its wide footprint that disperses weight and provides stability, each CAMO BLOCK is load-rated to support 1800 pounds, while concrete blocks are load-rated to 1700 pounds.

When it comes to portability, BLOCK wins hands down. Have you ever tried to stack a couple of concrete blocks? Or have you had to make return trips to the store to break up a load of concrete blocks on your truck? That’s not the case with CAMO BLOCK, which nests together for easy transport. You could even have a stack of CAMO BLOCK sitting in the passenger seat of a car if you wanted.

Installing Deck Blocks

We’ve already established that CAMO BLOCK is lightweight, so it’s easy to unload and move around the job site. Concrete blocks? Not so much. It’ll take more time and stress on your body to place them.

You must install CAMO BLOCK and concrete blocks on stable, packed ground. However, with the CAMO BLOCK, if the ground is level and undisturbed, you can simply remove grass and loose soil and place the BLOCK. But for the best practice installation that ensures proper drainage and a better-built deck, remove a couple of inches of topsoil, fill and compact the paver base until it’s level, then set BLOCK. If you’re using concrete blocks, you’ll also want proper drainage beneath each block to slow deterioration and prolong its life.

CAMO BLOCK is ready to use as is. They are precision-molded to fit standard lumber specifications, including 4×4 posts, 6×6 posts, 2×4, 2×6, and 2×8 wood joists, and 2 in. metal joists. Nothing about a concrete block screams precision, so you’ll spend time chipping out slots or shimming joists to get your lumber to fit. Additionally, if you’re using posts with concrete blocks, you’ll want to secure them to the pier blocks using post anchors, which is another step BLOCK doesn’t require.

Check out the BLOCK installation guide if you want more in-depth information about using BLOCK on your project. The guide covers everything from spacing, and the do’s and don’ts to step-by-step instructions for various decking projects.

Durability

Your outdoor project will be exposed to some elements. Luckily, BLOCK is made from Polyolefin, which will not chip or crack, even in cold weather, and is UV-protected so that they won’t fade. Plus, BLOCK has vents to drain water away from joists and posts and prevent moisture buildup, rot, and mold, where concrete blocks absorb moisture, crack, and crumble.

In addition to being durable, BLOCK is also a sustainable choice. They are made from a recycled material that can also be recycled at the end of its life. That’s better than hauling old concrete blocks to the dump. 

Price

Regarding price, CAMO BLOCK is marginally more expensive than a concrete block—we’re talking dollars and cents. But you will not kill your body hefting them into your car, you can make one trip with all the BLOCKS you need without taxing your vehicle, and you will save time installing them. As if you need more to say BLOCK is worth it, maybe knowing you built a better deck and having a 30 year warranty will do the trick.

In the deck block stack up, there’s one clear winner. Whether you’re building a floating deck, rooftop deck, pool deck, landing, walkway, shed, or dog house, there’s no better floating foundation than the CAMO BLOCK.