It is that time of the year when our thoughts turn first
to going out onto the deck or porch to enjoy the sun, and
second to how ratty it has gotten since last year. Time
to clean the deck, restore its color, kill the mildew,
and recoat, not necessarily in that order. Here are a few
guidelines that should help.
To kill mildew and algae: The traditional way is to mix
one part common household laundry bleach with two parts
water and wash down the deck. I use a swab mop on the flats
and a pump type portable garden sprayer for the rails and
posts. When it is dry, hose off the deck with plenty of
water. Unfortunately, this will kill off any vegetation
underneath. If you need a safer alternative, try Zinsser's
Jomax concentrated cleaner and mildew killer. It works
great and won't destroy plants. One gallon makes 20 gallons
of solution, and oddly enough, is cheaper than bleach!
To restore gray wood to its original color: Mix oxalic
acid (often sold as deck brightener) to about a 5% solution
in water and flood it liberally onto the gray, raw wood.
It will kill the gray and bring back the original color.
Once again, wash off liberally with the hose when it is
dry.
For just plain dirt: A good scrub with TSP or TSP substitute
in water will help dislodge the dirt. Use a stiff bristle
scrub brush to get things moving. As before, wash off afterwards
with the hose.
When it is time to recoat: Let the deck dry and pick
out the sealer you want. They fall into three categories.
The weakest clear coating is waterproofing, which will
offer rain shedding but very little protection and must
be recoated often. Next come the clear sealers, that offer
more protection, including UV block, and will last up to
two years before recoating is needed. Finally, there are
the pigmented opaque and semi-transparent sealer/stains.
These offer the most protection, but block the true color
of the wood. This year, I am putting Zinsser's F&P clear
deck coating on my deck and applying it with a wide format
floor finish application pad. It is quick, easy, and adds
just the right amount of finish in one 18" wide swath.
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