A Deck Rebuilding Project You Don’t Ever Want To Undertake!

It’s finally spring and the weather is beginning to get a bit warmer here in the Northeast. Now if we can ever get rid of this rain it might finally be time to get outdoors and enjoy the warm sunshine in the backyard.

Just got back from Niagara Falls where we watched the work crew from the NY State Department of Parks and Recreation re-build the decks and walkways at the Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls. Every year these walkways and viewing platforms are re-built in the spring for the tourist season and then taken apart in the fall to prepare for the winter and the ice build up on Niagara Falls. What a job!. Six guys hauling wood for the decks and stairs up and down the rocks under the Bridal Falls. Each year they re-build the decks from scratch as the rocks shift a bit during the winter. So the decks are never in exactly the same place from year to year.

And as if that weren’t enough of a challenge, the rocks are home this time of year to one of the largest and most diverse concentration of gulls in the world. 100,000 gulls on migratory flights from as far north as Greenland and the Canadian Arctic to as far south as Florida, find their way to the Niagara River. The Niagara Falls Nature Club has identified 19 individual species of gulls on the river out of 43 species worldwide. So you have to be sure to keep your head covered when down on the decks to protect you from the wind, rain, spray from the falls and now lots of bird droppings!


With 150,000 gallons of water, splashing down onto the decks every second, these decks get a lot of abuse. Much more than the average homeowner would ever experience even in the wettest parts of the country. All of the wood at Niagara Falls State Park is treated with Thompson’s water seal and deck stain and can certainly withstand whatever Mother Nature throws its way.

We worked with DIY “Deckspert” Jeff Wilson who gave our viewers tips on how to get their decks ready for spring this year. (see video)

Jeff has lots of information to share about decks and what is the best way to maintain them. He even has some samples of good decks and tips on how to know when its time to repair the deck.

With more of us staying home this summer due to the economy, it’s useful to know how to make your deck a welcoming retreat.

For more info, go to: www.thompsonswaterseal.com