Toronto winters are brutal on outdoor builds. Here's the maintenance checklist we give every client before the first freeze.
Toronto's freeze-thaw cycles are the single biggest enemy of outdoor structures. Water gets into hairline cracks, freezes, expands, and turns small problems into expensive ones. A few hours of fall maintenance can extend the life of your deck, fence, and patio by years.
For decks: clear all debris from between boards (leaves trap moisture against the wood), check for any loose railings or fasteners, and if it's a pressure-treated deck due for staining, get it done before temperatures drop below 10°C.
For fences: walk the full perimeter and check post stability. Any post that's started to lean is going to fail in the spring — fix it now while the ground is still workable. Check that gates close cleanly; frost heave will throw them off.
For interlock patios and concrete: sweep polymeric sand into any gaps, and avoid de-icing salts that are not concrete-safe. Regular rock salt eats away at concrete and stains interlock — use calcium chloride or sand instead.
