Why pressure wash your deck

Or cupping? If so, you might need to replace a few boards before you begin work — keep in mind these replacement boards will be a different colour than your existing deck because they are newer and will absorb the treatment differently. The first is cleaning and maintenance, the second is preparing for staining, painting, or sealing. The most obvious scenario which might make you consider pressure washing your deck — is the fact it looks dirty and or grimy.

If your deck is dirty, we recommend you start with a simple deck cleaner, scrubber, and a garden hose. In terms of cost, you can get a strong deck cleaner for about a fiver and a deck scrubbing kit broom with strong bristles for a tenner. Pressure washers come in a range of styles and with a selection of nozzles. The maximum pressure for all pressure washers is measured in bars and should be labeled on the box.

This number tells you how powerful your machine is — we recommend you purchase or have a machine with a maximum of bar. This range will ensure you have enough power for soft decking, garden furniture, fencing and other projects without damaging the items. When setting it up for the first time, we recommend you stick to the lowest setting possible, use a fan tip nozzle, and test the pressure washer in an inconspicuous area. A patio cleaner is a specialise attachment with rotating nozzles which cover more area than a standard lance.

Plus, with a patio cleaner you can get a much more even clean than if you use a standard lance with fan tip nozzle. We find the patio cleaners to be very helpful for cleaning decking evenly, quickly, and with a mostly splash-free cleaning.

With this in mind, you should put on some heavy rainboots or other footwear that will protect your feet. You should also wear safety goggles and gloves to protect against any loose debris that may come at your face while spraying. You should also wear pants to protect your legs for the same reasons. You should treat it as a serious power tool because it is one. Next, you should prepare your deck by removing any and all objects from the area.

Doing so will make it easier to maintain fluid motions and clean in an even layer. Now, you should take the time to scrub the wood before pressure washing, especially if you see grime. Most pressure washers come with a soap dispenser mode, so fill it up with a cleaner that will work for your wood. Switch to soap-only mode, and begin to cover any areas with grime. Then, you should use a synthetic scrubbing brush to massage the sprayed areas.

This step will loosen the grime, making it easier to blast away stains during the washing phase. Make sure you pay particular attention to hard-to-reach areas, like corners.

Now, you can begin the power wash. Switch to a wide nozzle and keep about a 2-foot distance from the wood while using the washer. This may seem far, but if you go too close to the wood, you may strip it. While using the pressure washer, you should go from one side of the deck to the other for every plank.

Using a pressure washer takes a little practice. Test your pressure and its effectiveness in an inconspicuous area, such as a stair tread or corner.

If you find it necessary to replace a piece of wood because you etched it, a stair tread is easier to replace than a surface deck board. Start with the pressure at to psi. Increase the pressure incrementally until you find the right setting for proper cleaning. Engage the trigger while holding the wand tip a couple of feet away from the deck surface, then lower the wand closer as needed.

Try not to get closer than 6 inches or you could damage the wood. Try to maintain a consistent distance by moving your arm laterally back and forth. Clean the deck boards from the house outward. Work with the grain by feathering the spray lengthwise, parallel to the deck boards, and overlapping each area slightly. The goal is to achieve even cleaning with no "hot spots" or visible cleaning edges.

If the wood is badly darkened or stained with mildew, washing with a deck-cleaning solution that includes sodium hydroxide can help brighten it. 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. Mix up the solution as recommended by the manufacturer. Apply the stripper solution in the same manner as when pressure washing with plain water, then rinse by washing again with plain water.

Ideally, power washing a wood deck will not ruin the wood and etch or erode the softwood fibers. However, when wood gets wet, the fibers may become raised, creating a rough surface. This is a particular problem on handrails, where the raised fibers can lead to splinters. Make sure the wood is dry before sanding. You have a couple of options for remedying this problem.