How to Care for Deck Balusters
If you've created a beautiful backyard space for your family, chances are, you want to keep it that way! We can help: let us show you how to care for your deck balusters year after year, no matter the material!
Maintaining and caring for your home's balusters, spindles, or pickets can be an easy annual or bi-annual exercise that saves you money in the long run.
How to Clean Deck Balusters
We like to break down cleaning and caring for your deck balusters into four easy steps: check, clean, repair, and touch up.
1. Check
On a nice sunny day, take a slow walk along your home's outdoor space. Thoroughly inspect each section and hardware connection in your deck railing. Do you notice any wobbly deck posts? Are you noticing a few splintering or loose deck balusters? Do the railing brackets still feel secure?
Normal changes occur over time and throughout the changing seasons. But it's important be proactive when handling a DIY deck for the family.
Jot down any changes you notice in the structural integrity of the railing as you walk through. This can make for an easy list to check off completely at the end of the day, or a helpful way to remember items that should be watched in the upcoming months.
2. Clean
After inspecting your DIY deck build or professional deck space, get ready to get sudsy! Cleaning your deck balusters is the next step in creating a stunning outdoor space with longevity.
Take your household or shop broom and sweep away any leaves, dirt, or debris that has taken residence on your deck floor. Also, remember to give your wood deck railing or metal deck railing a good dusting to remove any pollen or spiderwebs.
Next, set down some protective tarps over any surrounding bushes or plants and get to cleaning! Wood deck railings will generally use a wood deck cleaner and brightener system, while solid metal deck railing systems can simply use a gentle solution of dishwashing soap and warm water.
3. Repair
Once the deck railing is dry, return to those areas where you noted parts of your deck railing to be worn. With your drill in hand, tighten any deck baluster connector or face-mount installation screw that may have loosened over the past year.
Do you have a splintering or cracked wood deck baluster? Your safest option is to replace the broken spindle to keep your deck railing safe. If you have extra wood balusters on hand, simply remove and replace. If you don't have any extras on hand, however, measure the width, thickness, and height of the baluster and create the extra one you need or purchase one at your local hardware store.
Or watch this easy video on how to remove and replace old wooden balusters with modern metal balusters here:
4. Touch Up
With any deck railing repairs taken care of, let's get your deck pickets looking great for the upcoming year! If your DIY deck features painted or stained balusters, you'll want to strip them of their base layer before providing a fresh coat. If you want to cut out this step in the future, choose a penetrating wood oil such as Penofin, Messmer's, or DeckWise which don't need to be stripped or removed.
For those taking care of sleek metal deck balusters such as Deckorators aluminum balusters or Fortress steel balusters, some touch-up paint is exactly the tool you need. Cover any nicks, scratches, or scuffs that may have happened throughout the year with your matching touch-up paint for a quick fix you'll love to have on hand for years to come!
