Like ants at a picnic, it’s not fun to deal with unwanted bugs, crawling or buzzing around your deck. The good news is that you have several options for creating a bug-proof deck. For homeowners in the planning stages of building a deck, you can start by considering pressure treated wood or composites, which are virtually immune to pesky insects. However, for those who already have a deck -- and even years after it’s built -- there are always new opportunities to keep your deck protected from insects.
Installing Under Deck Screening To Your Deck Floor
Even if you’ve decided on a relatively bug-proof material likecomposite decking, you may still find yourself with insect problems. The underside of a deck can provide a nice shady area for a variety of crawling creatures to make their home.
If you’re concerned about bugs coming up from the gaps between floorboards, you may want to place a screen under the deck floor. But before making any modifications, be sure you check the warranty on your deck to know if you’re at risk of accidentally voiding it.
Installing Screening Under An Existing Deck
Under deck screening can be placed between joists to create a highly effective barrier against bugs. Inserting screening under a deck floor that has already been constructed can be more labor intensive compared to placement prior to construction. But depending on the design of your deck, adding screening is often as simple as stapling the material to the underside of the structure.
Installing A Deck Screen During Construction
By contrast, installing an under deck screening during the initial construction of your deck is typically much simpler. You can lay the screen on joists and hold them in place with the weight of the deck boards. This doesn’t necessarily require using staples, adhesives, or other modifications that might jeopardize a warranty.
Additional Ways to Bug-Proof Your Deck
Placing a screen under your deck floor isn’t your only choice -- and it isn’t always your best choice. Another option worth considering is hanging mesh screens, which encompass the entire perimeter of your deck. This additional layer of screening can keep bugs out while creating a more private space for your guests.
The proper lighting can also play a role in keeping bugs away. For your exterior lighting, consider swapping over to a bulb that can offer lower brightness and a warmer color temperature, like a 2700K LED. These lights are far less prone to attracting the attention of flying bugs.
Preventing Insect Damage
Under deck screening won’t protect you from burrowing insects like termites. The best way to avoid insect damage to your deck is constructing it from materials specifically designed to withstand insects. Most modern wooden decks are treated with chemicals to keep the bugs away, and you’ll find that composites are nearly invulnerable to infestation.
Add a Deck Skirt Made of Composite Or Pressure Treated Wood
Even the best under deck screening won’t stop insects from crawling around the edges of your deck. Butinstalling deck skirtingcan cover the gap between the edges of your deck and the ground, preventing bugs from getting under your deck in the first place.
Constructing a deck skirt can be costlier and more labor intensive than using under deck screening alone, but it’s also one of the most effective methods of deck bug control. Just remember to build your skirt from pressure treated woods or composites to stay protected from burrowing pests like termites.
Considering some of these tips during the planning stages of building a deck can help give you greater, pest-free enjoyment of your deck in the years to come. Even if you have an existing deck, some of these tips can help you build a better barrier between you and bugs when it comes to spending time outdoors.
FAQs
The best way to avoid insect damage to your deck is constructing it from materials specifically designed to withstand insects. Most modern wooden decks are treated with chemicals to keep the bugs away, and you'll find that composites are nearly invulnerable to infestation.
How to bug proof a deck floor? ›
Add a Deck Skirt Made of Composite Or Pressure Treated Wood
Just keep in mind that you should construct your skirt out of pressure-treated wood or composites so that you can avoid being attacked by burrowing insects like termites.
How do I protect my deck from bugs? ›
Here are eight things to try right away.
- A clean patio is a pest-free patio. ...
- Refresh your lighting. ...
- Plant a few herbs. ...
- Burn citronella torches. ...
- Spray essential oils in the space. ...
- Grow pest-deterrent flowers. ...
- Break out the mouthwash. ...
- Use hydrogen peroxide.
Mark the trench line around the deck.
- Dig 12 inches deep and out 12 inches.
- Bend 1/4” hardware cloth at 90 degrees to create an L-shape.
- Install first layer ¼” hardware cloth to keep out rodents. ...
- Install second layer of ½” hardware cloth to keep out raccoons, skunks, opossums and foxes. ...
- Fill dirt back into trench.
Traditional decking has a 1/8” or 1/4” gap between boards, which is more than enough room for mosquitoes or other bugs to crawl through.
What can I cover my wood deck floor with? ›
Deck tiles are a low-cost way to transform your deck into a safer, more attractive space while helping to protect the actual deck from wear and tear. Installing interlocking outdoor tiles over a wood deck can help to protect you from splinters, while offering the deck protection from sun and wear and tear.
What do you put under a deck floor? ›
Mulch is generally an inexpensive material to opt for under your deck. Therefore, if you're looking for the cheapest option, mulch will likely be the best choice. While you may think a wood mulch would be flammable, it's actually not overly combustible.
How do I protect my deck from termites? ›
How to Protect Your Deck from Termites
- Check for airborne water and apply a waterproof sealer. ...
- Keep mulch away from your deck. ...
- Wash your deck regularly. ...
- Hose off your deck after every storm. ...
- Invest in termite protection.
Defy Wood Deck Cleaner – Cleans and opens pores of wood surfaces before staining. This safe, oxygenated bleach deep cleans wood surfaces and opens the pores for maximum stain absorption. This powerful wood deck cleaner not only cleans the wood, but will remove weathered graying color caused by UV rays.
What bug is eating my deck? ›
Termites: Of all the wood-eating/burrowing insects, this is the most dangerous. While they may not pose a physical threat, these colonizing pests can cause millions of dollars in damages. Unfortunately, they are also difficult to spot until a bulk of the damage has been done.
Citronella is known to drive away flies, mosquitos, and other pests from a deck.
What can I put around the bottom of my deck to keep animals out? ›
One of the best solutions for smaller animals is to install a rat wall. A barrier that prevents animals (any animal, not just rodents) from burrowing underneath your deck, patio, or porch. Rat walls are usually constructed using a metal mesh, also called hardware cloth.
What keeps bugs away on porch? ›
Spraying a peppermint oil solution around your outdoor patio space is one of the best ways to repel ants, spiders, caterpillars, ticks, beetles and flies. Rosemary oil is another essential oil solution known to repel flies, mosquitoes and ants, as well as spider mites and aphids infesting garden plants.
What to put under a deck to prevent mosquitoes? ›
If you have small puddles, you can try putting sand under the deck. The sand will absorb the water and prevent mosquitoes from laying their eggs in the puddles. If you have bigger puddles, you may need to install some drainage. A french drain can work well under a deck to clear standing water.
What wood do mosquitoes hate? ›
Eucalyptus. The repellent properties of eucalyptus oil are well known. So, if you have a nearby eucalyptus tree, you can burn the bark, wood, and leaves to keep mosquitoes away from your gathering. As an added bonus, eucalyptus wood smells great and burns extremely hot, making it ideal for those cold nights.
What material can mosquitoes not get through? ›
What Materials Can Mosquitoes Not Bite Through? Mosquitoes can't bite through most fabrics, so if you are wearing loose cottons and linens (which can keep you cool on hot summer days) or most other material types, you will be protected from bites. Does Insect Repellent Clothing Work?
How do you make a deck rodent proof? ›
Under your decking looks like a wonderful place for a family of mice or rats to set up home. To stop rodents getting under your decking, use wood, mesh or chicken wire and run it along the entire edge between the boards and the ground.
Do floor sanders work on decks? ›
The machine is designed to sand flat surfaces, and it might not be able to adapt to the contours of the decking. As a result, you might end up with some areas being sanded too much, while others are not sanded enough. This can result in an uneven finish, and it can make the surface of the decking look patchy.
