Power Wash a Deck
My composite deck is several years old, I have not cleaned it since it was installed. It was very bad looking and I think now is time I took time out to Power Wash a Deck. Cleaning will not be the same as cleaning my vinyl siding a couple of weeks ago. So I go out to look for a power washer that would not damage my deck when cleaning it.
The first step was to clean off the furniture and plants on the deck, I put them in the yard. Follow along and I will show you how it is done and what it will take to get it to look new again.
What is the advantage of cleaning my Compostite decking
To start with a dirty deck will not be pleasing to your guest. The Mildew, dirt and other discusting things that will accumilate over the years is pretty bad looking. Walking on my deck while it was wet was very tricky as the slime buildup was bad.
What materials did I use
I just purchased a 1600 PSI pressure washer to use on another project. I just did the siding with a chemicle cleaner, the deck will take the pressure washer to clean. The list of materials that I used are:
- 1600 PSI Pressure Washer ($89.00 at Walmart.com)
- Enough Garden hose to reach work area from the hose bib
- Electrical outlet within 30 Feet of work area.
- Time
What process did I use
What process did I use
As stated earlier, the first step was to clean all of the furniture and plants off of the deck. After all of the stuff was removed, I gathered the equipment I needed to the deck. The pressure washer I purchased does not have an adjustable pressure, just an adjustable nozzle to change the spread of the spray. I adjusted to get the best cleaning potential. Test the pressure of your power washer on a small area before you make the mistake of damaging the surface of your deck. See more information on my Power Washer at this post.
I started on one end and worked to the other end. I made up small sections to work on to make sure that all of the floor was done. After I finished a small section I washed all of the debris off of the deck.
Clean up was easy as putting away the hose and pressurre washer. When I un hooked all of the hoses I made sure that they were drained of all water before storing.
Pros and Cons to my method
Pros and Cons to my methodPros
Fast and not a lot of manual work
Easy cleanup
No chemicals to mix
Cons
Have to buy a Pressure Washer if you do not own one
Can be far away from a good water or electric source
If you have another outdoor space under your deck, you will have double the cleanup
Where to find the materials used for the best online price
Conclusion
I find when it is time to Power Wash a Deck, getting a 1600 PSI Pressur Washer is the best method. It does not have too much power in its spray and will not damage the surface of your composite deck.
This is my opinion and others may have some thoughts on this. Thanks for reading, if you have any questions or comments on this post, please use the form below.
There are some Affiliate Links in this article.
Would you suggest to seal the wood after you have pressure cleaned it? Perhaps using varnish or oil. The distressed wood look does look good in certain homes, but the sealed wood also looks great.
I like the ideas for lighting the garden, it can bring it to life at night.
Linda,
On a wood deck you would have to seal or use some kind of treatment yearly. The composite material on my deck is a plastic mixture that requires no treatment other than the cleaning. It does cost a bit more than a wooden deck at the time of purchase, it just needs little care other than the power washing..
John
Very useful technique on how to power wash a deck, those power washers were a great product idea whoever came up with the idea.
I am surprised you need no chemicals, most folks here use chemicals for their decks. I like your method much better, we are exposed to too many chemicals as it is.
Because of the composite material, I do not use any chemicals. If this was a wooden deck, some type of bleach would be used for deep cleaning, then a sealant to protect the wood until the next year. The less chemicals that we use in our environment the better.
John
Hey John
Great article that reminds me that I need to get out and do some cleaning. Thanks for that lol.
I love how this article is clear and concise and your plan is well laid out. I have siding to do and a drive way so I will look at the other article I guess you wrote on that.
Enjoy your clean deck.
Kevin
Kevin,
Glad that you found this information helpful. I would not use a chemical on the driveway unless you have some really bad stains. The siding works better with the chemical, the power washer may leave water behind the siding when finished.
John
Nice little read. I always check the pressure and what surface im cleaning some pressure is just to strong like you mentioned. Another good option is to use a low pressure pressure washer and use soaps or other cleaning chemicals.
Domonick,
You are correct in you comment about the checking the pressure before attacking a surface. Different materials will react to different pressures. Soft surfaces will be damaged with a strong pressure, hard materials will not be cleaned with soft pressures. Having a soap dispenser on your pressure washer will be an advantage for chemical cleaning.
John