What is the best way to clean/treat deck
Someone wants me to clean and retreat their 16×10 deck made from PT wood. The deck is about 7 or 8 yrs old. The neighbor had theirs done and it looks like “new” so these people want theirs done for the same look.
In researching how to clean/treat deck I see several ways. What is the BEST way to clean a deck and the best cleaner? I assume a Pressure Washer with deck cleaner is best, and I assume you PW all the ballisters and handrails, including undersides of everything.
Then, what is the best preservative for a natural look color? I see preservatives are good only for 1 or 2yrs. I looked at Olympic treatments, are they good? And what is best way to apply, with brush? I heard there were spray on types?
Also, I assume after cleaning there must be a drying off time of a day or two before applying treatment?
Replies
I usually rent a good pressure washer for this work, one with a separate engine for more power rather a cheap electric one.
After the deck dries in a day or two, you'll often have fuzzy spots in places which need to sanded.Any finish exposed to the elements needs to be periodically renewed. Or else leave it as is.
I had a deck that not been maintained for 15 years when I bought my house. A thick black and green slim covered every thing. A lot of trees and a gutter with out a downspout had taken their toll. I spent two days power washing and two days with a floor sander (the flat kind not the drum type). A coat of water seal and it looked new.