Telltale Signs It’s Time to Repair Your Walking Deck

Telltale Signs It’s Time to Repair Your Walking Deck

A walking deck offers comfortable outdoor space and encourages movement around your property. Over time, however, it will begin to show wear and tear from foot traffic, weather, and other factors. Here are a few signs that will tell you when it’s time to make repairs.

Cracks, Chips, and Crumbling

Perhaps the most obvious sign that your deck needs repair is the appearance of cracks, lines, chips, and other visible damage. As the concrete, stone, tile, or other deck material begins to physically wear down, it becomes vulnerable to breakage—not just from accidental impacts, but also from normal, regular use. Professional repairs and resurfacing can easily correct most of such cases.

Discoloration and Stains

Even if the materials appear to be strong and fully intact, discoloration and staining from spills, water damage, mold, and other natural growth can harm your curb appeal. Fortunately, so long as the deck is still structurally sound, professional resurfacing can restore it to its original beauty.

Some stains may also be a red flag for worse damage in the future. Water spots could be a sign that water damage will eventually weaken your deck. Likewise, dark or colorful spots could indicate mold or lichen growth that can break down the materials and even pose health risks to people. Deck surface waterproofing can help you prevent these issues in the future.

Shifting and Erosion

If heavy rains, flooding, or other moisture soften the ground beneath your deck, things can go south quickly. Not only can your deck begin to crack and shift, it can also lose important support through soil erosion.

If water begins to weaken the ground beneath your deck, shift the materials, or even leak under the deck and into the foundation of your building, time is of the essence. Get it fixed before things get worse.

An Increase in Trips, Slips, and Falls

As a business owner, you take on liability for injuries that may occur on your property. If you’ve got a walking deck around a building and your customers or employees are starting to report injuries related to the deck’s condition, repairs should be done as soon as possible.

Uneven pavers, broken pieces of concrete, and other issues can be major trip hazards, even if they seem small to the naked eye. DIY workarounds may help for a short time, but you should ultimately have your walking deck repaired professionally to keep your guests and staff safe—and to avoid the risk of injury lawsuits.

Get Expert Walking Deck Repair Services from Capital Deck & Stair

At Capital Deck & Stair, we correct all sorts of deck issues, from hairline cracks to major damage. Our expert technicians will perform the necessary repairs to make your deck functional and beautiful again, and then help you protect it with a waterproof deck coating for years of future use.

For top-notch walking deck repairs and professional deck waterproofing in Los Angeles, call us today at (888) 508-2966.

Why You Need to Waterproof Your Walking Deck

No matter what kind of commercial property you have, a walking deck is a great way to create a beautiful outdoor space for clients, customers, and employees. Even with a protective roof or awning, however, exposure to the elements can wear your walking deck down all too soon. Here are just a few reasons why deck surface waterproofing is so important.

It Protects Structural Integrity, Extending the Life of Your Deck

When water penetrates down into porous deck materials (certain types of rock, tile, concrete, etc.), it begins to physically break down the material, undermining its strength and durability. Once the structure of the material is sufficiently weakened, problems like cracks, chips, and crumbling can start to appear.

While hairline cracks and other slight damage may be able to be filled or repaired, more severe damage could require total demolition and reinstallation of your walking deck. By applying a waterproof deck coating, you can keep the materials durable for much longer.

Walking Deck Damage Could Pose a Risk of Injury to Guests and Patrons

When you’ve got a walking deck, you can expect people to—you guessed it—walk on it! As such, water damage poses risks not just to your deck but also to the people who use it. Broken, uneven, or shifting portions of deck could lead to slips, trips, and falls on your property. A person could be seriously injured—and you’d be liable for it.

It Keeps Your Property Looking Beautiful and New

Water spots, stains, cracks, and other wear and tear on your deck aren’t great for your building’s aesthetic. Not only does damage negatively affect your property’s curb appeal, but it can also leave patrons with a negative image of your company’s standards and affect your public reputation. Keeping your walking deck free of water stains and mold growth also makes it a more pleasant place for your employees, clients, and business partners to walk and talk.

Water Damage on Your Deck Could Lead to Problems Elsewhere

In some cases, like when your deck is exposed to heavy rain or flooding, water can flow down into damaged areas and beneath the deck, leading to shifting and erosion of the land underneath. If that water manages to leak into your building or erode the area under the foundation, your problems can quickly become much worse (interior water damage, mold, etc.).

Protect Your Walking Deck with Waterproofing from Capital Deck & Stair

If you’ve got a walking deck, pool deck, or another type of deck somewhere on your commercial property, make sure you protect your investment and the people who use it by having it professionally waterproofed. At Capital Deck & Stair, we provide expert sealing, coating, and waterproofing services for concrete walking decks, pool decks, garage floors, stairs, and much more.

To learn more about the benefits of professional deck sealing or request a free estimate for walking deck waterproofing, call us at (888) 508-2966 today.