Get matched with top deck maintenance specialists in Butternuts, NY

Q: Should there be a gap between the house and the deck?

• <div><p>In most cases, there should be a small gap between the house and the deck, usually no more than &frac12; to &frac34; of an inch. This space allows water and moisture to flow through instead of pooling against the side of your house. It also lets flashing protect your siding from runoff, which is one of the <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/5-common-deck-problems-and-solutions.htm">most common issues with decks</a>.</p></div>

Q: What are the problems with composite decking?

• <div><p>The problems with composite decking include a high rate of expansion and contraction from temperature swings. This characteristic can cause boards to split, delaminate, or peel. In addition, significant movement can cause shrinking, warping, twisting, and bending. For this reason, you should minimize moisture and ensure proper airflow below your deck. </p></div>

Q: Which way should a gate swing, in or out?

• <div><p>The best direction for a gate to swing depends on its location and purpose, but swinging inward is the general rule. An inward swing is often considered safer, prevents the gate from opening into public spaces like a sidewalk, and may be required by local building codes.</p><p>There are exceptions and specific considerations. If your property is on a slope, an inward swing might not be possible. For a deck gate, it's safest to have it swing away from any steps. In a backyard, the direction can be a matter of preference, though an inward swing can be helpful when carrying heavy items like a wheelbarrow into a garden.</p><p>Regardless of direction, ensure the gate can open fully without hitting any objects or blocking spaces. While an inward swing is standard, a gate that can swing both in and out offers the most flexibility if your setup allows for it.</p></div>

Q: Do deck boards need to be screwed to every joist?

• <div><p>It&rsquo;s best to use two screws to secure deck boards into every joist. Securing the boards to every joist makes the deck more structurally sound, while using two screws on the outer sides of the boards can help prevent warping and cupping. </p></div>

Q: Can I pressure wash my own deck?

• <div><p>It is possible to <a href="https://www.angi.com/articles/how-to-power-wash-deck.htm">pressure wash your deck</a>, but it&rsquo;s usually best to leave the work to a professional for two main reasons. First, power washers are expensive, and you can avoid high upfront costs by hiring a deck washing pro instead. Second, you must be careful to use the correct setting to avoid damaging your deck material. You can only clean soft woods like pine with a wide spray and a low pressure; otherwise, the water will leave unpleasant marks on your deck. Hard woods, composite material, and metal can stand up to increasingly higher water pressures.</p></div>

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Verified Reviews for Deck Maintenance pros in Butternuts, NY

*The Angi rating for Deck Maintenance companies in Butternuts, NY is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Deck Maintenance needs.

*The HomeAdvisor rating for Deck Maintenance companies in Butternuts, NY is a rating based on verified reviews from our community of homeowners who have used these pros to meet their Deck Maintenance needs.

Last update on June 29, 2025

Reviewed in June 2025
I am extremely happy with the work that was done on my house. Terry arrived at 8:30 a.m. and spent the entire day scrubbing off over 5 years worth of dirt from my siding, gutters, sidewalks and deck. Deck looks like it's new. I would definitely recommend him and plan to have him come again...
Brant's Power Washing and Painting
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Reviewed in June 2021
We are very pleased with Alex, Mitch and their crew. They did a thorough spring clean up and are now doing weekly mowing and maintenance. We would certainly recommend Marsch to other homeowners. Pam
Marsch Landscaping, Inc.
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Reviewed in April 2021
Jordan, Chris and Matt were terrific. They managed to salvage a very large and old maple tree and took out 2 smaller trees, one of which was periously close to the deck. The price was fair and the cleanup was complete. I recommend these guys and plan to use there services again.
A Plus Tree Service, LLC
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Reviewed in April 2020
Fantastic. Did a great job,completed our deck ahead of schedule at a very fair price. Glad I gave him the job. I also used Berthel construction to install a storm door and garage door openers. All work was done professionally and timely.
Berthel Construction LLC
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Reviewed in February 2020
Matt has not only done excellent cosmetic work in the form of putting tiles on the floor in the master bath and rebuilding and restoring the deck on a rather large front porch, he has done work to make my home safer. Matt enlarged an unused closet and created a space on the main floor for a...
Moran Contracting
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Reviewed in May 2019
Although service and work skills were great, we were initially disappointed with the quality of the wood used to replace our surface decking. When we complained, the owner rescheduled a visit to replace the worst of the boards with higher quality planking. We would use XX again, in fact, they...
XX Decks & Porches
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Reviewed in April 2019
Went very well. Deck looks really nice and easy to maintain.
XX Decks & Porches
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Reviewed in July 2014
We have mud in our driveway every year in the spring, so this year we decided to finally have it paved. We got estimates from several places, and the costs were all around the same. We picked Webster's because several friends said they had used them before with great results. They asked for...
WEBSTER PAVING
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Reviewed in September 2013
This is now Matthews ford but still a great group opf folks, use them from my company van maintenance never a problem!! <br />
SMITH FORD LLC
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Find Deck maintenance specialists in Butternuts

JoG Pressure Washing and Cleaning LLC

5.0(

)

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

Credit card accepted

"I was extremely pleased with the work done on my patio. Jason is a very hard worker and is focused on making sure of the customers satisfaction. I would highly recommend Jog pressure washing and cleaning."

+29

Recommended by100%of homeowners

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2011

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"We did use them. They are excellent. I would use them again if I needed them and they are local. They were very thorough, very professional, and cleaned up after themselves. There was no debris left. This is the kind of person you would want if you want some work done. They came in the house, it didn't take them long, and they knew what they were doing. We didn't have any problems. They were very polite. They were very reasonable on price. They were very good."

Recommended by93%of homeowners

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Champion Waterproofing Corporation

5.0(

)

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 1996

"John is very professional and has provided great service over the years"

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 1999

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"Maria and her team were very professional and courteous. They worked well together and hardly ever took breaks. This team hand brushed the entire house and it looks great. Clean-up was well done too. Maria was one of the only painters in the area that was willing to work us into her very busy schedule. She knew we had a very strict timeline and the job had to be finished quickly (we had renters arriving). Despite all the rain we had last week and an unfortunate personal issue, they got the job done just in time. I'm grateful for Maria and her team and their diligence. We would recommend this team and would definitely hire them again. Thanks Maria!
"

+14

Recommended by82%of homeowners

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2018

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"He's very knowledgeable and helpful!"

Response time1 day

Recommended by100%of homeowners

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RND home improvement

New to Angi

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2022

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

We always go above and beyond for our customers our customers are our number one priority

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North East Pressure Washing

4.8(

)

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2015

Free estimates

"He was punctual, professional and the cost was less than I expected. What he did in two hours would have taken me a whole weekend to do myself."

Response time2 hrs

Recommended by100%of homeowners

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2018

Free estimates

"I called them and set an appointment for the following day. Guy, the owner, came ontime, was courteous, found and fixed the roof leak, and charged a reasonable service fee. He noticed some work that should be done on the chimneys (2) and made arrangements to come another day to fix them. I was impressed with Guy and his knowledge of home construction and repair. I plan to call him for any future work. Thanks for a job well done."

Response time8 hrs

Response rate86%

Recommended by100%of homeowners

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2012

Free estimates

Credit card accepted

"He does a really good work. Very reliable, very honest."

+10

Response time2 days

Recommended by50%of homeowners

Serving Butternuts, NY and surrounding areas

In business since 2020

Free estimates

Emergency services offered

"It was good. They were very prompt."

+14

Recommended by100%of homeowners

Request Quote

Showing 1-10 of 19

Deck Maintenance questions, answered by experts

In most cases, there should be a small gap between the house and the deck, usually no more than ½ to ¾ of an inch. This space allows water and moisture to flow through instead of pooling against the side of your house. It also lets flashing protect your siding from runoff, which is one of the most common issues with decks.

The problems with composite decking include a high rate of expansion and contraction from temperature swings. This characteristic can cause boards to split, delaminate, or peel. In addition, significant movement can cause shrinking, warping, twisting, and bending. For this reason, you should minimize moisture and ensure proper airflow below your deck.

The best direction for a gate to swing depends on its location and purpose, but swinging inward is the general rule. An inward swing is often considered safer, prevents the gate from opening into public spaces like a sidewalk, and may be required by local building codes.

There are exceptions and specific considerations. If your property is on a slope, an inward swing might not be possible. For a deck gate, it's safest to have it swing away from any steps. In a backyard, the direction can be a matter of preference, though an inward swing can be helpful when carrying heavy items like a wheelbarrow into a garden.

Regardless of direction, ensure the gate can open fully without hitting any objects or blocking spaces. While an inward swing is standard, a gate that can swing both in and out offers the most flexibility if your setup allows for it.

It’s best to use two screws to secure deck boards into every joist. Securing the boards to every joist makes the deck more structurally sound, while using two screws on the outer sides of the boards can help prevent warping and cupping.

It is possible to pressure wash your deck, but it’s usually best to leave the work to a professional for two main reasons. First, power washers are expensive, and you can avoid high upfront costs by hiring a deck washing pro instead. Second, you must be careful to use the correct setting to avoid damaging your deck material. You can only clean soft woods like pine with a wide spray and a low pressure; otherwise, the water will leave unpleasant marks on your deck. Hard woods, composite material, and metal can stand up to increasingly higher water pressures.

The Butternuts, NY homeowners’ guide to deck maintenance services

From average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.

See all articles

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