Quigley Decks is encouraging Madison-area homeowners to follow Public Health Madison & Dane County guidance on clearing snow and using less salt this winter.
Madison, WI (PRUnderground) November 9th, 2026
As the first snow of the season approaches, Quigley Decks is encouraging Madison-area homeowners to plan how they will clear decks, steps and walkways this winter, and to use less salt when they do.
Quigley Decks, one of the deck contractors madison wi homeowners rely on for outdoor living spaces, said the way a deck and its surrounding steps and patios are cleared each winter has a lot to do with how they hold up over time.
According to Public Health Madison & Dane County, salt changes the composition of soil, slows plant growth and weakens the concrete, brick and stone that make up homes, garages, bridges and roads.
The agency notes that only a coffee mug of salt is needed to treat an entire 20-foot driveway, or 10 sidewalk squares, and that salt does not work when temperatures are below 15 degrees, when sand is a better choice for traction.
Public Health Madison & Dane County also recommends shoveling snow promptly, before it turns to ice, because the more snow that is removed, the less salt is needed.
“Most of the winter wear we see on decks and the concrete around them comes from how they were cleared, not from the snow itself,” said Tim Quigley, owner of Quigley Decks. “Shovel early, push the snow with the boards instead of across them, use a plastic shovel, and go easy on the salt. A little goes a long way.”
The company recommends that homeowners walk their decks before the first major storm to look for loose boards, wobbly stairs or railings that move under pressure. Problems found now can be scheduled for deck repair madison wi work before ice and snow make the surface harder to use safely.
Railings and stair handrails take on added importance in winter, when steps can be slick. Quigley Decks provides Railing Installation in Madison, WI using aluminum, composite and stainless steel cable systems.
For homeowners planning a new outdoor space for next season, winter is a practical time to work through design and materials. Homeowners comparing deck builders madison wi for a custom, steel-framed project can use the off-season to settle on layout, decking and railing, the company said.
Projects can then move to deck installation madison wi in the spring, with the structure, decking and railing selected well ahead of the busy building season.
“Winter is when people actually have time to think about what they want out back,” Quigley said. “If you look after the deck you have through the winter and plan the next one now, spring goes a lot smoother.”
Quigley Decks offers complimentary estimates and can be reached at (608) 577-4277.
About Quigley Decks
Quigley Decks LLC is a Madison, Wisconsin, deck builder with more than 25 years of craftsmanship, specializing in steel-framed decks, deck repair and replacement, and aluminum, composite and stainless steel cable railings. The company serves Madison, Cottage Grove, Cross Plains, Fitchburg, McFarland, Middleton, Stoughton, Sun Prairie and Verona.
Media contact: Tim Quigley, Quigley Decks LLC, (608) 577-4277, Tim@quigleydecks.com
