A well-maintained terrace in summer, you earn in winter

Overview

The days get shorter, the sun gives way to rain clouds, the temperature drops below 0 at night and sometimes a snowflake dares to fall from the sky. Winter is coming. The perfect moment to winterize your terrace.

A wooden terrace is a charming element in your garden. Moreover, it also gives your garden the necessary character and warmth. But to create this feeling, your terrace must be clean. These preparations start in the winter.

Autumn is traditionally the hardest period for your terrace. Plants lose their leaves and gather on your terrace. This, in combination with the fluctuating temperatures and rain, is the perfect breeding ground for mould and algae. Not to mention rust spots on barbecues, metal garden chairs or other objects on your terrace.

Terrace of Cumaru tropical hardwood with leaves.

A tropical hardwood terrace has a high lifespan and is resistant to the effects of weather conditions. However, this does not detract from the fact that you can give your terrace extra protection. Good maintenance will stretch the life span of your terrace by several years. Below we briefly discuss how you can best deal with this.

Picture of a man holding a garden hose and spraying his terrace.
  • Wet your terrace with a garden hose.
  • Use a terrace cleaner and let it soak in for about fifteen minutes. Some products you can use as a terrace cleaner:
    • Cleaning vinegar; dilute vinegar with water
    • Green soap: 1 tablespoon per litre of hot water
    • Green soap and soda: half a tablespoon each per litre of hot water
    • Terrace cleaner from a local garden centre (always read the manufacturer's instructions)

Try to avoid contact with plants. After all, the cleaners are just as deadly to your plants as the algae and moss. Green soap is ecological and therefore harmless. Time to scrub. Be sure not to use a metal brush. Rinse your terrace again with the garden hose. Still dirty spots? Repeat the steps above.

Your terrace has now been scrubbed clean. Now all you have to do, is decide what kind of terrace you want. Are you going for a greying terrace or do you want to keep the current terrace colour?

- If you do not want your terrace to grow grey, apply a protective layer of oil to your terrace. This oil should mainly be UV-protective and should be applied twice a year. Your deck will also be extra protected against moss and moisture. WOCA and OSMO are 2 manufacturers who offer this oil. Be sure to read the instructions in the manual.

- If you opt for a greying, a moss remover or a green cleaner will suffice. Apply them to a dry surface and let them soak in for about half an hour. Afterwards, remove the residue with a cloth.

Leave your terrace to dry for a while and your work is done. Well done!

Rinsed Cumaru terrace.

Some extra tips for a clean deck:

  • Protect your garden furniture from the weather, or place it inside.
  • Do not use a pressure washer to rinse your terrace. The pressure exerted on wood can do more harm than good.
  • Don't forget to empty and close your outdoor faucets and garden hose.
  • Wipe your terrace clean in good time. Leaves can be slippery and dangerous.
  • Snow or a frozen terrace? You can sprinkle salt on your wooden terrace but rinse it away during thawing. This will prevent salt spots.