Whats the difference between a commercial and residential deck?
A lot of people think that commercial decks and residential decks are the same. Which they are correct, I mean they’re both outdoor wood structures that people hang out on. There is one key difference between the two, LIABILITY.
If someone injures themselves on the deck that you have attached to your home chances are you won’t be sued. If someone injures themselves on a deck attached to your business, the chance of getting sued is pretty high.
Most injuries from decks are due to lack of maintenance causing wood rot issues. A board on the deck floor or on the railing rots causing it to be structurally weak. This leads to a customer either falling through the deck or falling off.
How to limit liability with materials and maintenance?
Build using composite
We recommend using composite material to build your business’s deck. Composite decking and railing do not rot. Composite is much more expensive but, it requires much less maintenance. Which would be a worth-wild investment for a commercial deck.
General inspections
Wether you build the deck out of composite or wood you need to make sure you keep up on inspections. We recommend inspecting your deck weekly for signs of wood rot, loose boards and algae build up. This is the most proactive measure you can can take.
Speedy repair
After problems are identified during the inspections it is important to have the issues resolved quickly. Most can be repaired by you however, with commercial decks we recommend having a deck specialist make the repair. This is so that if someone does get injured on your business’s deck, you can show that you had a professional make the repairs.
Preventative Maintenance
Being proactive is the best preventative measure you can take.
- Clean your decks surface as needed to prevent algae and dirt build up. See how here.
- Stain and seal your wooden deck yearly as a preventive measure for wood rot.
- Have rotten boards replaced at the first sign issues.
- Have loose boards tightened down.
Do you live in the Greater Cincinnati area and need some of these items checked off of your list?
Contact your friendly pros at New Leaf Home Repair and Remodeling for an estimate.
