NEVER pressure wash your deck! This is something I did not know. I do know that pressure washing is very common and used for all sorts of home improvement projects, so I thought it would be a good idea to share this information. Read on for Jay's advice on how to properly and safely clean your deck.
I tell my neighbors. I tell my clients. I tell everybody who will listen. NEVER pressure wash a deck! When the pressure-wash companies send their college kids to knock on my door to "wash" my deck, I tell them why they should not be doing that to decks! When I see their trucks*, they advertise cleaning decks, patios, siding, roofs - you name it! Don't do it!
The older the deck, the worse the wood reacts to pressure washing. The big mistake is that companies and homeowners have a tendency to set the pressure way too high. But even at low pressures the deck can become damaged.
What does pressure washing decks do?
- It removes loose material and leaves a gafillion dangerous splinters and gaps. Those gaps open up further letting in more damaging sun and water.
- It removes the natural oils in the wood that are not replaced with sealants.
- It causes wood to dry quickly causing cupping and warping.
- It causes damage.
- It loosens nails as the wood expands.
- It can cause water to enter the house.
So what to do instead?
There are various, excellent, gentle cleansers out there. Be sure to select cleansers that do not have caustic lye or acid, or say not to use around children, pets or water features. A company called Dekswood makes an excellent cleanser that can be followed with sealants. And the so-called "oxygen" cleansers, with the active ingredient of sodium percarbonate, are great and don't damage the wood, the kids or pets, the house or the yard.
You MUST seal your deck after cleaning. The sun does more damage to your deck than rain and snow. BE SURE TO USE A SEALANT THAT HAS UV INHIBITORS IN ADDITION TO WATER PROTECTION. Read the label. It will tell you what the contents are. Water proofing alone is not enough.
My recommendation: Keep your deck gently cleaned and protected and it will last many decades. Not doing so makes it unsafe and age much faster.
* I once gave my spiel to a guy sitting in his company truck in a parking lot (with a smile on my face) and he told me he would NEVER pressure-wash his deck. He said he sees what damage it can do later!
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Sharon, this is a post that caught my eye as well. A home inspector mentioned this to me years ago, but very few listened to him. Since then, I've observed post power-washing and can attest this is "good stuff." Great choice to reblog.
Sharon, this is good information. Power washers can be so strong they take the good with the bad leaving the area in need of repair. Not something our clients need as they prepare their homes for sale.
Sharon, We build a lot more stone patios than decks these days, I understand about the oils but honestly I never heard this about pressure washing of wood. thanks for this great info.
Sharon, that's really usefulinformation. I recommend power wash to my clients and hadn't come across old home with wood siding or wood patio but I will definitely keep this info it in mind.
Well Sharon I caught this a little too late. I already pressured washed a few weeks ago to prep for new paint! Lesson learned! It is a great post and certainly makes sense! Thanks for sharing!
Mary Kay: Thanks for adding your first hand experience. I will be passing this info to my clients with decks.
Janice: I had no idea, but it makes perfect sense. I'm glad I found the post.
Steve: Good old ActiveRain...always something new to learn here!
Anna: It would be terrible to be the one who recommended the work that had a bad result! Glad you found the post!
Sheila: Hopefully not too much damage done. I assume the paint will help preserve the wood.
In my experience, there are very few absolutes, and never pressure wash a deck is not one of them. Pressure washing is great for decks when done properly. I routinely use a pressure washer for my deck and other areas of the home. Pressure setting, cleaning solution, and technique as well as the condition need to be considered when making the judgment of whether the pressure washing will improve or degrade the deck.
I would say, if you are not sure what you are doing with a pressure washer, then avoid using a pressure washer.
Certainly not an absolute of never pressure washing a deck.
Jim: That makes perfect sense, and I certainly can't speak for the author on this, but my opinion would be that most non-inspector homeowners wouldn't have the right solution, setting, or technique and it's best to suggest to them that they just don't do it. I do agree that there are very few absolutes, and I have been heard more than once saying "never say never". Thanks!
Sharon, I have to concur with Jim on this one. NEVER is too absolute. We have a composite material deck and it gets pressure washed and cleaned every spring/summer. Quite frankly if we couldn't pressure wash it, I don't know how we would really get it clean.
Good article and information just too absolute for me.
Ginger: It seems to me that Jay is talking about wood decks...I don't know his opinion on composite decks. I have a composite deck and they are not easy to clean. I agree that "never" is stronger than need be,..and it probably should have specified "wood" in the title.
Hi, Sharon. Uh-oh...guilty! I have a wraparound deck...all four sides....and I pressure wash it because I hate to sweep and have all that dust settle on me.
Somehow I made this comment but I wasn't logged in...sorry about that.
Leslie: If you have been doing it and you aren't seeing a problem resulting from it, don't worry about it. Maybe you are doing it right and it's not an issue. I'ld take a close look and see if there is any sign of damage or wear.