| crash |
HELP!!!
Last year I had my very first new deck installed onto my house. The guy who built is said all I need to do to maintain it is to powerwash it off yearly...no chemicals - just power wash it.
When talking to my neighbours, they said powerwashing tends to remove the pressure treating - and can shorten the life of the deck. Personally, I'm not really into putting chemicals onto the deck...
What is the right thing to do?! Need some help!
Thanks
Scott |
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| njjoe |
Scott-
Annual pressure washing will not adversely affect the chemicals added to the pressure-treated wood. During the pressure-treating process, a CCA (chromated copper arsenate) solution introduced under high pressure penetrates the wood's surface and bonds with the sugars in the wood in a chemical reaction called fixation. The CCA becomes part of the wood. It doesn't wash out.
Although the CCA protects the wood from organisms, it does not protect it from the effects of moisture (warping, splitting, etc.) or the sun (fading). That is why many people elect to seal, stain, or paint their deck.
Search the Internet and you will see a ton of information on this topic.
I hope this helps.
-njjoe |
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| Enforcer |
| Some types of treatment last longer. Pressure treatment is they take this board and put treatment chemicals on it under pressure so the treatment chemicals bond into the wood deeper. As the outside wood deteriorates, it comes off. Some cleaning chemicals can accelerate the wood deterioration. But Sun and the good ol outdoors will do more damage than your spray washes. Low pressure spray washers are the best for general washing. The high pressure washers will actually strip the deteriorated wood off. Neat trick I use before painting. Beats the heck out of wire brushing. Just crank up a high pressure washer and strip away, let dry, then seal/paint whatever. That tends to help the longevity more than anything-sealer/paint. But in general, relax, spray the bird poop off with a low pressure washer or hose and enjoy your deck. |
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| ekaxel |
| Is the deck treated wood? Or some exotic synthetic? |
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| mgthe3 |
Put water seal on it.
I was horrified when I went over to my Dad's house and saw the deck I had built for him (12x28) bleached to the bone from some pressure wash outfit that ripped him off (travelers).
Now I am going to have to seal it and I bet it takes all of 2 or 3 gallons and 3 weekends--time I don't have!
Grrrrrrrrrr |
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| crash |
Thanks folks!!
The wood is pressure treated....
My gut says to power wash it...but you made a good point; which is don't go crazy with the PSI on it...
I'd searched the net, and came up with about 2,435,689 different suggestions.
Thanks again! |
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