Deck Restoration, Maintnenance and Repair - Helvetia
Deck Maintenance, Repairs, Restoration, Staining and Sealing
Schopp’s Home Maintenance specializes in the following services for Helvetia decks.
Deck Repair - Helvetia
Deck Sealing - Helvetia
Deck Restoration - Helvetia
Deck Repair - Helvetia
Deck Sealing - Helvetia
Deck Restoration - Helvetia





Phase 1:
The first step in our process is to clean off all remaining stain, moss, mildew, and grime. We do this by spraying an environmentally friendly cleaner on the deck and let it do its thing. Next, we rinse off the deck with a pressure washer. We are very gentle as we rinse the deck and rely on the cleaner to do the work rather than the pressure washer. The cleaner tends to darken the wood, which leads us to our next step of applying a brightener and rinsing that off as well. At this point, we would point out any dry rot that may have come to our attention during the cleaning process.Phase 2:
We return after the deck has had enough time to dry (this amount of time varies based on the exposure of the deck, current weather conditions and type of stain we will be using). We start by replacing any damaged boards and tapping in any loose nails. Next, we do some light sanding. Between weathering and the cleaning process, we’ve found that most decks need some degree of sanding. We pay special attention to the tops of handrails, benches and the floor. We understand how painful slivers can be. We then apply the Armstrong Clark wood stain.
New Treatment
Cleaning:
New wood has what is called “mill glaze”. This occurs when boards are milled and the heat of the saw draws the oils and resins to the surface and seals the pores. This can make it difficult for stain to penetrate. Over time these pores open, but the wood ages. To prepare the wood to accept the stain we lightly clean it to remove the mill glaze and open the pores.
Sealing/Staining:
When a deck is stained with a proper sealer is does two things. First, it replaces the oils or resins in the wood to protect it from the rain. Secondly, it has some degree of pigmentation which acts as a sunscreen and keeps the wood from graying. The more pigmentation the more the UV protection. However, the more pigmentation a stain has the more it looks like paint.
New Deck Construction:
If you need new deck construction we recommend Rick’s Fencing and Decking. We have worked with them since 1994 and they have a very professional staff, are a well-established company, focus on quality and stand behind their work.