Having a deck contractor install composite decking in your garden is one way you can add beauty to your landscape. Aside from that, a decking like composite provides a hard surface for your outdoor activities. But to enjoy your wood-plastic composite decking, you must install a long-lasting material. Composite decking boards are durable and long-lasting, but homeowners must maintain them to make them last longer. To further protect your plastic wood decking, you must clean the surface texture to prevent decay. Also, homeowners must remove organic materials that can decay and make mould grow on their decking. Another thing garden owners must do is seal their composite decking with sealant. This write-up explains why sealant is important when installing composite decking.
What Is a Decking Sealant?
To understand why a sealant is important for your decking, you must know what it is. A sealant is a material like a decking stain that garden owners can use on the surface of their composite decking. The function of a decking sealant is to stop moisture from entering your decking and reaching the core. This implies that a sealant is a substance homeowners can use to block the passage of moisture or fluid through joints, crack or permeable surfaces. When homeowners apply a sealer on their decking surface, they can be assured that it will last longer.
What Kind of Decking Needs Sealant?
There are different decking materials, and each has attributes that make it unique. Wood decking is a cheap alternative for homeowners that want to make a patio in their home. Composite decking also provides a good decking surface in a home or garden. Other deck materials are plastic and aluminium. The nature of the surface texture of your decking determines if it will need a sealant.
Wood Decking
Wood is a material homeowners can use to make their patio. A deck made of wood provides a solid surface for garden owners to use for their outdoor activities. But a wood deck has its disadvantages. When you install it outdoors and expose it to the nature of the weather, your wood deck will become susceptible to moisture. Moisture can infiltrate a decking and make it swell and rot. Wood decks are susceptible to moisture, which is why homeowners must take steps to prevent water from entering the surface. To do that, they will use a sealant to block the porous surface texture of their deck. A sealant works to seal the surface of a deck and form a tiny film on the decking surface that prevents water from entering the decking. Without a sealant, your wood decking will not last long.
Composite Decking
Unlike a wood deck that is a natural material, a composite deck is a synthetic material made with wood and polymer. Since wood is part of composite decking material composition, there is a possibility that moisture can still reach the wood and make the deck less durable. First-generation composite decking has a durable surface, but moisture can still infiltrate it. Homeowners that install the old composite wood decking must use a sealant to block the top so that water or moisture will not enter the wood.
Newer-generation composite decking is better than the old one. The surface is plastic coated to prevent moisture from reaching the wooden part. A plastic-coated decking has a better chance of resisting moisture absorption. Some composite deck manufacturers make boards that are four-side capped. A capped or protected decking on the four sides has a better chance of resisting moisture than a decking that is not.
Although newer-generation composite decking will last longer without a sealant, homeowners can still choose to seal the top of their deck. This task is done by purchasing a good sealant in the market and applying it to the surface of your composite decking. This way, your wood-plastic composite deck will be better protected from the elements of weather.
Conclusion
Why is sealant important when installing composite decking? A sealant helps protect the surface of composite decking from moisture and makes it last longer.
