If the wood is badly darkened or stained with mildew washing with a deck cleaning solution that includes sodium hydroxide can help brighten it.
Tips pressure washing wood deck.
Sanding a wood deck.
As mentioned in previous articles the pressure you need to wash your deck surface is rarely more than 1 500 pounds per square inch psi.
For this reason you should plan on sanding your wood deck after power washing and before staining and sealing this crucial step will ensure that your refinishing job gives.
When pressure washing a deck it is absolutely critical that you not use too powerful a spray.
It s a great weekend project that will cost the average home owner between 200 300 dollars if you re buying the pressure washer for the first time.
That includes reviving a tired old wood deck in less than 30 minutes as.
A good deck cleaner can remove the gray fibers dirt mold mildew and other impurities deep in the wood.
Then wash the deck using a power washer to scrub the surface clean.
After that the cost will be more like 40 60 for the scrubber bucket and deck cleaning solution.
After a deep power washing the wood fibers of the various components of the deck often raise as they expand with water once dry these wood fibers can often remain raised and may cause splinters.
Less is more when it comes to pressure washing.
Allow to dry for 24 hours then sand the surface with between a 60 to 150 grit sandpaper or sanding disk.
How much does it cost to pressure wash a deck.
If you encounter raised or splintered spots after cleaning with a power washer or wish to prep the deck for sealer you should sand them.
Wood is a product of nature and even pressure treated decks will eventually succumb to harsh uv rays wet dry cycles and temperature fluctuations.
To add years of useful life to your deck treat.
Pressure washing can help but if you want your stain to last using a good deck cleaner and brightener on the deck prior to pressure washing will provide you the best result.
Too much force can destroy your wood so do not use a high powered nozzle.
Look for a product designed for brightening deck wood and for use in a pressure washer and make sure your pressure washer allows for the intake of cleaning solutions.