So I woke up this morning to a big ole dumping of snow outside. The dog had to pee so I let her out back. Our patio door goes straight out to a 2-level deck that my husband proudly built himself, then down a few steps to the backyard. The dog usually bounds off the deck and “does business” in the yard. This morning, since the deck & yard were covered in snow, she just walked over to the far side of the top deck and took a leak there.
My question: Will dog pee harm a deck? I doubt this will be only time…
It might if the pee is allowed to sit and penetrate the wood.
I have to watch my dog carefully that he goes out in the yard and not on my new deck. I grab a big glass of water and pour on any fresh spots that I notice. Just to dilute the pee a bit. Can’t do that in real cold weather or you’ll get ice.
Eventually the new wood will turn weathered gray and any stains or dirt won’t be as noticeable. I’m waiting until next summer to put on my first coat of weather sealer.
On the chance that there is a scientific, measurable answer to this, I am moving it to General Questions, from MPSIMS. If not, then the mods there can dispose of this as they see fit.
The OP didn’t say if her new deck was sealed. Sealed wood is less likely to absorb dog pee and other stains. But, they recommend waiting several months after building a deck to seal it. Wood needs time to dry first. Most people seal their decks in the middle of the summer when its really dry.
No, it’s not sealed. He just built it this summer and hasn’t mentioned anything about sealing it.
Thanks for your reply aceplace57 - I figured if acid rain won’t wreck it right away then my dog whizzing in the snow on it wouldn’t do much damage either. I just wanted to see if anybody else has any experience with such a thing.
If the patio was “covered” with snow, then I imagine the snow absorbed and then diluted most if not all of the urine.
Yes, there was a couple of inches of snow, so that’s what I’m hoping.
If we have enough of a serious answer to warrant humor:
“Yes, but there are commercially available stains that you will probably prefer the results of over dog urine.”
The pee will burn right through the snow unless it’s really deep…and yes, dog pee will stain an unsealed wood deck. Maybe not the first time, but if your dog tends to go in the same spot for an entire winter it seems to act like a mild bleach. My small female dog does the same thing - when it’s really cold or snowy, she pees right outside the back door on the deck.
However, when you get around to sealing/staining it, use a deck wash/deck brightener product first (you’ll probably want to anyway) and the light spots from the pee will be eliminated.