Do you want a better replacement material for the wooden railings on your deck that was destroyed by carpenter ants? If you want your deck to be more durable altogether, there are a few measures that can be taken to accomplish the goal besides buying a different type of railing material. You need to basically make the deck less desirable to pests. Take a look at this article for a few tips that can help you give your deck area more protection against carpenter ants.
1. Keep the Deck Area as Dry as Possible
If your deck area is constructed out of wood just like the railings, it is likely that there is damage from carpenter ants on it as well. If you want to reserve the deck area and prevent further damage, you might want to start keeping the wood as dry as possible. You must keep in mind that carpenter ants of certain colonies are actually attracted to damp wood, as it is a good environment for them to build nests in. For example, ants of the parent colonies build nests inside of damp colonies, while dry wood is more attractive to ants of satellite colonies. When wood is damp on a regular basis, it can also become rotten in an untimely manner and attract carpenter ants.
2. Invest in Getting the Deck Exterminated
Sometimes the best way to keep wooden deck damage from carpenter ants under control is by eliminating them. For instance, rather than simply making your deck unattractive to the ants, you should set up traps that will lead to them dying. You will then end up seeing fewer of the pests, and eventually they might stop coming around altogether. The smartest thing that you can do is get the deck exterminated every now and then to kill off the ants. You can also purchase a few bottles of liquid bait, as it contains toxins that the ants will take back to their nests, which will result in many of them dying.
3. Opt for Ornamental Steel Railings as the Replacement
The perk of ornamental steel railings is that they are manufactured with the ability to remain durable after exposure to outside elements. You will have no problems with the metal becoming rusty from being exposed to rain or snow. You will also have the option of choosing between numerous designs for the railings, as they are often constructed with beautiful shapes. Pests like carpenter ants will have no interest in your ornamental steel railings, so there will be less of problems with pests.
For more information, contact a company like Corsetti Structural Steel Inc.
