Cleaning your deck has a great side and a bad side. The great side is that with a pressure washer, you are able to rid the wood of grime and other unusual materials which have made the lumber their home.

The dreadful side is you could do a number in your deck if you don’t understand what you’re doing. When you possess the incorrect nozzle on the wand, get the hint too near the wood or crank the machine up-to full blast, you stand to ruin your deck.

Those folks who get a power washer from a nearby lease business can fasten a unit that can crank-outside well over 4-thousand pounds per square inch of pressure. At that rate, it is possible to literally make your own Mount Rushmore on a brick.

To make sure you don’t turn your deck right into a mound of toothpicks, here are some tips regarding how you are able to manage the job safely, quickly and without causing expensive damage.

1.Nozzle and Point

We already mentioned how powerful this equipment can be. That just means you’ll should choose a few matters. Let’s start together with the nozzle or the tip. To clean soft woods like pine or cedar, attach a fan tip using a 40-to-60 degree output signal. This maximizes the area that you’ll cover and disperses-outside the level of pressure over a larger surface.

As for pressure, you are only going to want about 700 psi of electricity. You shouldn’t ramp up the washer higher than 1200 psi. Bottom line, begin low, just using more pressure if you genuinely require it.

When you press the trigger, don’t train it at a window or the children. Start out about 2-feet over the wood surface, slowly closing in to around 16-inches from the deck. If you’re a foot-or-closer to the wood, pull up, pilot!

Clever move could be to try out things on a portion of your deck that is a little out of the way. Just in case you make any mistakes, nobody will discover that which you screw up if they can not see it.

2.Technique

Begin in the 600 psi degree. You can always boost the pressure, but start low. Squeeze the trigger several feet in the surface. Slowly lower the wand before you get to the sweet spot of 16-inches. Brush the arm back-and-forth. Notice what is occurring and pay attention. You might need to correct the pressure with respect to the outcomes.

Be consistent together with your sweeping movement. Start at your home’s foundation and move from the house. Do Not go against the grain.

3.Wood Fibers

When lumber gets wet, the fibers increase to the occasion. You do not need to make splinters when pressure washing your deck. To eliminate this from occurring, get prepared to sand.

— Use an orbital sander with a 5-inch pad

— On the surface and handrails, stroke the wood with an 80-grit sand paper

Sanding the finished deck serves a few functions. It’ll make the lumber more porous so the stain and sealer will soak into the grain.