Pergola
Normally, pergolas do not need any special protection, because most of the components are so airy, that they always dry quickly. A critical point, however, can be the anchoring of the posts.
■ Posts buried in the ground easily rot in the area where the soil meets the air. Scrape and grind out damaged wood, until only undamaged parts can be seen, and paint the spot saturated with impregnation, Oil-based primer and protective coating.
■ Is stability already at risk, support the pergola to the left and right of the post with makeshift stands and saw the post 5 to 10 mm above the ground. Then dig out the bottom part and put in a concrete spot foundation with post anchors. Soak the post from below with wood preservative, put in the anchor, align and screw.
■ The crossbars may also be damaged, when water stagnates on them. Sand damaged areas down to the raw wood, and wear waterproofing, primer and protective coating.
■ You can refresh grayed wood with pigmented glazes in natural tones. There are special paints for pressure-impregnated wood.
■ For colored coatings, it is best to use oil-based glazes, which penetrate the wood and can be painted over without pre-sanding.
TIPP: Wrap the climbing plants loosely in foil before painting even small areas, so they don't get splashed. Also cover the floor, so that the liquid paint does not seep away.
Rank lattice
Under dense vegetation one usually sees little of trellis. They are also difficult to clean or repaint. However, check the attachment of the grilles to the wall or between the posts.
■ Trellises with spacers are attached to the wall. Wooden blocks are often used for this, which rot after a few years. Replace them with plastic parts. There are ready-made spacers for trellis, but doorstops are also good for this purpose.
■ You should pay attention to this when building trellises, that they are already protected by the nature of the construction. This means: The crossbars and all cut surfaces pointing upwards must be chamfered, so that no water can stand on it. TIPP: Cedar slats are suitable for airy and properly constructed trellis, larch, Black Locust or Bamboo, which are resistant to moisture even without painting or impregnation. When they don't last anymore, the leftovers can be composted without any problems.
Fence
Spring is also the right time for a fence inspection. Pay special attention to the screw connections and the anchoring of the posts in the ground.
■ For fences, which are regularly maintained, A new coat of paint is usually sufficient. Was a glaze used?, only the damaged areas need to be sanded beforehand.
■ If the cut edges of crossbars or pickets are not constantly covered with paint, moisture penetrates, and they can start to rot. Damaged parts will be replaced – cutting is useless, because then the length is no longer enough.
■ Gently shake each post, to realize, if he is still fixed. If it is loose or damaged in the bottom area, the elements to the left and right of it must be unscrewed and the post dug out. If you just want to replace it, enlarge and deepen the hole, to make room for 5 to 10 cm gravel and sand to create drainage.
■ You can also shorten the post and reinsert it with a concrete point foundation and post anchor. In both cases, paint the wood several times with oil-based stain or open-pore paint.
■ The end grain edges of the posts should not yet be protected with cover caps, you should add them now. Even simple wooden plates are sufficient. There are also ready-made caps made of wood or galvanized sheet metal.
■ The cheaper one, but not like us- kungsvolle Alternative: Bevel the end-grain surface like this, that water runs off quickly and soak the wood with an oily stain.
garden house
Spring is the time for a careful inspection. Check the roof covering in particular and repair small areas of damage immediately, so that water does not penetrate the walls. The bottom edges of walls and doors are also at risk, because they get a lot of moisture.
■ When repainting, first apply an impregnation, then the primer and finally the top coat. Whether colored or natural: Choose an oil-based product, which forms an elastic protective film and does not tear, when the wood works with temperature fluctuations.
■ Check existing paintwork thoroughly. Faded spots or areas, where not much of the old protective coating can be seen, sand and paint over. Where only raw wood is visible after sanding, apply impregnation and primer beforehand as with the base coat.
■ The wood begins to rot slightly in the floor area. Sand or cut out any damaged parts generously. Small damaged areas can be repaired with wood putty, for larger ones, insert a new piece of wood. Use waterproof glue for this.
■ All surfaces, which are often wet, need extra protection. Paint walls and doors in the splash water area several times. End-grain wood surfaces should be impregnated with glaze or paint, so that no moisture can penetrate.
■ If walls and floor are damp from below, check gutters and downspouts and test, whether rainwater can be kept away from the house by larger roof overhangs. Does it smell musty, remove the floor coverings and pick up floorboards;, to examine the joist bearing.
furniture
After the winter break, the furniture is first cleaned thoroughly with soap and water. After that it's good to see, whether further processing is necessary or not.
■ Teak furniture, which should keep the natural silvery tone, scrub with hot water and green soap only. If necessary, finely sand over after drying.
■ To refresh the teak color, there are special oils, applied after cleaning. There is also cleaner and oil as a system.
■ Clean glazed wood thoroughly, possibly sand and paint over with the same glaze. If you want a new shade, it must be a little darker than the old one.
■ Sand painted furniture thoroughly. Pay attention to the edges, because the paint flakes off particularly easily here. All loose particles must be removed. Where raw wood becomes visible, apply stain protection and impregnation. This is followed by the primer and top coat.
TIPP: Use environmentally friendly cleaning agents, because when working on the terrace, part of it seeps into the ground. Die Alternative: Cover the area generously with foil.
wooden deck
A mixture of dirt, Algae and moss make wooden decks unsightly and slippery after winter.
■ Clean the wooden floorboards with a scrubber, water and soap or with a high-pressure cleaner.
■ Then check the screw connections. Rusty bolts should be unscrewed and replaced with larger ones, rust-free to be replaced.
■ Some wood manufacturers offer special cleaners. Be sure to, that they do not contain any substances that are harmful to the environment, because it is inevitable, that a large part of the agent is washed into the earth with the water.
■ For protection, you can paint the deck with an oil-based paint. Treat the end-grain surfaces of the planks and the joists at least twice, so they don't absorb moisture. Coatings are available in natural wood tones and colored pigmented.
■ If you notice when entering the deck, that individual planks are very springy, individual joists are probably no longer stable enough. The most sensible solution: Pick up all the planks and mend the camp. It's often best on older decks, to replace all joists.