Written October 2, 2024
Hello Dear Readers,
We have been working on our deck for a while. We discovered that the deck preparation required much more work and patience than we initially anticipated. One of the problems we faced was the sap on the deck. We had sap from the maple tree all over the deck in our backyard, and it was a real hassle. My wife, multitasking between work and cleaning, was trying to tackle the sticky mess. The sap stuck to everything, including the tools we were using. While we worked, she mentioned how the sap reminded her of pine resin—the kind she used when playing stringed instruments.
After wrestling with the sap for a while, I reached my breaking point. But our conversation about pine resin gave me an idea. I very briefly played the violin when I was younger, and I remembered that the resin softens with heat. It made me think about how I always warm honey in the winter to make it pliable. I decided to try the same method with the sap. I boiled water using our electric kettle and poured it directly onto the sap.
To my surprise, the boiling water softened the sap right away. I’d expected to have to scrape the sticky stuff afterward, but when I poured the water over the sap-covered boards, it just washed away. There was hardly anything left to scrape! I’ll check the deck again once it’s fully dry, just to make sure the sap doesn’t resolve, but for now, it seems like the hot water did the trick.
It was a pleasant surprise to see how well my plan worked. It’s funny how a bit of knowledge or past experience can spark an idea. I bet there are probably plenty of videos or articles out there on removing sap, but figuring it out on my own gave me a sense of satisfaction that’s hard to beat. I feel like we are pretty ready for painting.