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Power Wash a Deck

 

Before and after Power WashMy 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:

  1. 1600 PSI Pressure Washer ($89.00 at Walmart.com)
  2. Enough Garden hose to reach work area from the hose bib
  3. Electrical outlet within 30 Feet of work area.
  4. Time

 

Chris power washing deckWhat 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.

 

 

My Composite Deck after Power Washing Pros and Cons to my method

Pros

 

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.

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