Considering DIY deck sealing; tips and pointers?

Question

I got a bid for deck maintenance; $700 to powerwash, strip (with solvent), and stain. I spoke to the local hardware store and the recommended DIY using Sunfrog kit, and skipping the powerwash. I'm still unclear about what I'm getting from either choice, but it sounds like it'll last longer if I do it myself, and I'll certainly save a bunch of money. Anyone have any advice about either choice?

Answer 1

You can save the $700 and do a decent job yourself.

(1) Clean the deck using diluted bleach (about 1 cup per gallon) and a scrub brush.  Wear rubber gloves as the bleach solution will be very hard on your hands otherwise.  You can buy professional "deck cleaner" but it's just a pre-mixed bleach/water formula, so save your money there.

(2) Let the deck DRY COMPLETELY.  That probably means waiting a few days to make sure the wood is absolutely bone dry.  You want it thirsty for the sealer/stain so it penetrates deeply into the wood.

(3) If you use clear or light colored stain/sealer it won't last as long as if you use a darker color.   You can get on Consumer Reports and get the reviews for various brands of stain & sealer.   The reality is none of them last more than a few years.  You might get 3 years out of a dark stain and 1 or 2 years out of a lighter stain, but this is not something that will last forever no matter what brand you choose.  If the deck is constantly exposed to rain, sun, snow etc. it will break down the stain or sealer fairly quickly.  

(4) I find I get the best results using a stain brush and just painting the stain or sealer on.  The coverage is even and the results look better than if you spray it on.  I actually do have a professional quality sprayer, and I use it when staining the cedar siding on my house because of the volume of work involved, but for even a large deck, the brush gives more even, better looking results than even a professional sprayer.

(5) You can use a pressure washer to clean your deck instead of the scrub-brush as long as you use a low-pressure tip.  If you go at it too aggressively you will tear up the wood and cause serious damage to the deck.  It can be a time saver if the deck is really filthy or really large, but is certainly not necessary.

(6) Keep up with it, in other words, don't wait to re-do until the deck looks horrible again.  Every 2 or 3 years re-do it.  If you don't the wood won't rot very fast, but it will get little splinters and rough spots in it.  That is not something you really want on a deck where people will want to walk in bare feet on it.  If you have let the deck go too long, inspect it carefully as you are cleaning it this time and pull off/sand any little pieces that are sticking up.   Same thing for the nails, if they are coming up, bang them back into place, so you will have a smooth, safe surface once you are all done.  

Good Luck!

Answer 2

Be very careful using a pressure washer.  If the pressure is too high it will shred the wood making it look like steel wool.  Anything above 400 psi is too much.  Pre-wash with a mixture of one cup bleach to one gallon water and then let sit for one hour.   During that hour, keep the wood damp.  Then hose off with clear water and let dry.  If the deck is really old and rough you may have to sand it.  Make sure the wood is dry before applying stain.  Get a good waterproof sealer/stain.

Dave

Answer 3

clean the deck real good, hose and scrub brush will be good enough. Let dry for a day and then use thompsons water sealer. Put it in a pump sprayer like you would use for weed killer and grass sprayer and put one gallon in a 2 1-2 gallon jug. Pump it up and sprayer the entire deck, under it to if you can get to it. You will want to test areas about a year later and repeat but I just did my moms wheel chair ramp and it works great and it cost 100 bucks for me to do it. Good luck.