Tips On Deck Cleaning & Refinishing
New to owning a deck and not sure what is necessary to maintain it? Let our deck cleaning and refinishing professionals give you a few pointers on how to take good care of it.
Your deck, whether already weather or in pristine condition, is an investment that you don't want to see deteriorate. SoftWasherz, a local Daphne, AL power washing company wants to share some tips on how and when to take care of deck cleaning and refinishing.
Does My Deck Always Need Staining Or Just Resealing?
Refinishing a deck often involves sanding down the wood to achieve a new smooth surface, but not always. If the deck does need to be resurfaced, it will need staining before applying the sealer.
In most cases, the deck will just need power washing and resealing because the stain and surface are still in good condition. The more regularly you clean and seal your deck, the longer you can wait between refinishing.
Deck Cleaning – How Often & How To
Deck cleaning with high water pressure can damage the wood. Wood is a porous material no matter how dense and hard it is. Unless it's for the purposes of removing paint from the deck, use a soft wash deck cleaning approach.
Our professionals use soft washing to clean decks unless the surface needs complete refinishing. This safely removes grime and algae as well as prevents new growth.
If you clean your own deck, purchase an algaecide cleaning chemical rather than using bleach or other chemicals. This won't damage your deck while regular pressure cleaning could.
- Softwashing with algaecide for regular cleaning
- Pressure washing before deck refinishing
- Pressure washing to remove deck paint
Deck Refinishing - How Often
A hardwood deck can last for a hundred years if it is well-maintained. Refinishing is a part of this maintenance. When referring to refinishing in this section, we mean sanding, staining, and sealing.
How often to refinish the deck will depend on the quality of the sealant that is currently protecting the deck. It will also depend on how much sun your deck is exposed to and whether or not the stain and sealant is UV protective. Our commercial-grade deck sealants can last several years whereas yours may only last one year.
If you are refinishing the deck yourself, read the product labels to find out how long the stain color lasts and the sealer lasts.
- Use high-quality deck stain & sealant
- Look for a UV resistant stain and sealer
