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A Guide on how to power wash decks by Sun Brite Supply in Maryland.
How to power wash decks is one of the most popular questions asked by pressure wash contractors today. The most important factor in deck pressure washing is surface preparation. Great surface preparation is the KEY to outstanding results. Prep right, and the deck will turn out GREAT. Rush through prep or use the wrong deck cleaners to save money and/or time, and the deck won’t look nearly as good.
Thorough pressure washing of the deck or fence is essential to get good results. If the wood was previously sealed, you must strip off the old sealer rather than just clean the wood. If any old sealer remains, it might interfere with Ready Seal or other professional grade deck sealers from soaking into the wood. If the wood has not been sealed within the last five years, a deep pressure washing is probably all that is needed. If you are not sure if the deck or fence must be stripped, a simple “splash” test is all you need to find out. Sprinkle a little water from your fingertips on to the dry wood. If the droplets soak into the wood right away, you don’t need to strip. If they form little droplets on the surface, you do have to strip.
High-pressure washing of wood is not necessary or advisable. Instead, use the proper-strength chemical cleaners to do all the work. Then you simply RINSE using your pressure-washer. Doing it the right way means using your pressure washer to agitate slightly with MODERATE pressure and HIGH water volume. Use the pressure washer responsibly. Too much pressure on the surface of the wood will cause furring damage.
Pressure washers are rated in PSI (pounds per square inch) and GPM (gallons per minute). The ideal pressure washer for pressure washing wood will use at least 3-4 GPM (or more) at about 300 – 1000 PSI for most outdoor wood.
Since your pressure washer probably puts out 3000 PSI, you need to "detune" the pressure. There are three methods for reducing the pressure while keeping the volume of water. First one is to hold the tip farther from the surface of the wood. The pressure falls as the water is fanned out from the tip, so greater distance from the surface means less pressure reaching the surface. This is not a scientific adjustment, and is not the recommended method. The second way is to invest in a proper nozzle that will reduce the pressure to an acceptable range without restricting water flow. These nozzles can be purchased from Sun Brite Supply. The absolute BEST way to accomplish this reduction of pressure is.... Read the rest of this informative article here!
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