Reveal Your Deck’s Inner Beauty by Power Washing This Summer!

Spending the past few weeks getting acquainted with keeping ourselves occupied while indoors, it’s no wonder so many of us are considering how to make the most of our outdoor living space this summer! Whether you own a cherry, maple, oak, cedar or pine wooden deck, you might start to notice signs of wear as the transition to warm weather inspires more of us to soak in the sunshine.

If you are unsure of whether relatively extreme options, such as chemical dark brighteners, are the right choice for your summer deck renew project, look no further. We’ll take a moment to break down the ins and outs of renewing your wood decking with power washing as a method of choice this season.

Something to Consider: Is Your Deck Pre or Post-2013 Construction?

Whether your house is a newer build or a charming, more dated estate, one of the key facts to know is whether your outdoor living space was constructed before or after the year 2013. This is because stipulations over the use of water-based deck stains changed significantly during this time.

Specifically, regulations necessitate the industry keep pace with the standards of California’s Environmental Protection Act. If you see bare wood on any portion of your wooden deck or patio, for example, you should be particularly worried about the potential for mold and algae growth following the April rainy season.

This is one of many reasons why regulations are updated on an ongoing basis, which can often throw homeowners for a loop if they’re unaware of more recent developments. As you can now potentially see, power washing can go a long way towards keeping up with regulations, as well as setting the stage for a deck renewal.

Choosing Your Power Washer: Options Are Your Friend

Although many of us are guilty of impulse shopping, make sure you err on the side of more options and not fewer when it comes to selecting a power washer for your wooden deck. Synthetic brushes, and not natural ones, are surprisingly a better choice as well. The latter tend to be damaged by most run-of-the-line deck cleaning products.

Pay attention to the length, positioning and flexibility of the nozzle, as this determines how easily you will be able to maneuver hard-to-reach areas of your patio living space. You should prepare to spread out the power washing process in steps, allowing time for any newly applied finish to dry following a pressure washing cleaning.

Getting the Spacing Right: How Far Apart is Too Far Apart?

There’s a high likelihood that upon finishing your power washing project, you might find yourself hoping to delay the next maintenance for as long as possible. With a heightened appreciation for the steps in the power washing process, measures should also be taken to protect your deck in the long term, and how to seal wood for added protection following the stripping procedure.

In most cases, you should allow at least 48 hours before proceeding with coatings, stains or protectants. You should also ensure that they’re complying with codes and conforming to regulatory standards.

As you can probably imagine, knowing the weather patterns on days you choose to seal and stain your deck are critical. If there’s rain in the forecast, it’s best to hold off until there are several days of sunshine in a row. This will save you time, money and frustration in the short and long-run!

Ready to Build, Price or Maintenance Your Deck or Outdoor Living Space?

Ask yourself: how many inches should there be between a power washer and wood from your patio or deck? If you answered somewhere between four to eight inches, you are correct! Depending upon the strength of the setting you are using, this should permit enough room for you to remove any troublesome problem areas without overly exposing or permanently damaging the integrity of your foundation.

Wrapping Up the Job: Finish Your Power Wash Job With a Seal

We’re prepared to tackle whatever project you and your family have in mind – large or small. If power washing and staining aren’t in the cards for you, we can always check your deck for renovation potential, and take care of it for you! Connect with a professional at Decks R Us today!