You should do an annual inspection on your deck looking for any loose boards or other structural components and also look for rotting wood. Tell tale sings of rotting wood include discoloration, mold and softness when pressed with a hard object such as a screwdriver. If any soft wood or dry rot is found, replace the piece.
If you do need to replace a damaged or rotten deck board, see the Tutorial Replacing a Deck Plank for step by step instructions.
Once you've looked everything over and the wood looks sound, proceed to the next step.
