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Basics of Wood Restoration

Over time, even the best constructed deck or porch will show signs of wear and tear that ruin its overall look. No matter how well it was constructed, water, sunlight, and humidity all take their toll on wood in just a few years. Imagine what several years of sunshine beating down on your deck followed by winters under ice and snow will do to wood. Wood with an armor coating would have a tough time surviving that let alone wood that has been coated with a water sealer. It’s no wonder that even the leading deck sealer manufacturer only offers a 2 year warranty. But there are ways you can restore your deck to its natural beauty. There are two major steps in the wood restoration process: cleaning and treating.

The cleaning process used in wood restoration combines the power of a pressure washer with the use specialized cleaning agents. The most important piece of equipment is a pressure washer producing at least 3000 PSI, which is required to effectively clean wood. Taking it one step further, a hot water pressure washer with a reserve tank is the best piece of equipment since you can combine any one of a number of cleaning agents to speed up the cleaning process.

Check with your local home improvement supply warehouse to select the product that's best suited for the type of wood you are restoring. There are different angled spray nozzles available for pressure washer wands so you'll want to select one that is not too abrasive, something along the lines of 30° will do nicely. Make sure when you're operating the power washer you hold the wand at a constant angle to the surface you're cleaning. Holding the wand at a 15° to the wood surface will give you the best results for wood restoration.

After you’ve effectively cleaned the wood you can begin the second process in wood restoration which is treating the wood. This is an important step in making sure the hard work you put in cleaning and restoring the deck lasts more than one season. Although even the best sealer is no match for the elements it will give the deck a protective layer that will prolong the time between the next scheduled maintenance. There are different sealers designed for the different species of wood so it’s important you check the manufacturer’s specifications before selecting the right brand. After you’ve done your homework you can apply the sealer with a paint roller frame and 1/2" nap roller. Make sure you work the sealer into all the cracks, knots, and crevices in the wood to achieve the best results. Most of these products dry within 24 hours so the homeowner will be able to use the deck the next day.

More and more homeowners are spending an increasingly large amount of time in their back yards during the summer months. With the number of decks on homes continuing to rise, a wood restoration business can be a lucrative endeavor. After all, most homeowners want to see their investment last and are willingly to spend the money to get the most out of their backyard decks.

The publisher of these pages is in no way responsible for any damage caused to you, your pressure washer, anyone else, your property, or anyone else's property by trying to implement or by successfully implementing the above-mentioned performance and services.