Wood Deck Sanders
|Wood Deck Sanders – Wood decks, if left for the ravages of nature, can easily deteriorate from that clean, shining wood surface you so admired as soon as your deck was a new comer to a dingy, gray, mildew and dry-rot infested eyesore. If the damage is mainly for the deck surface, quick relief is on the way with all the cleaning and resealing methods I recommend below. Before you begin, though, you ought to look underneath to make sure dry rot hasn’t found its way into your deck.
Checking for Dry Rot and Making Repairs. Dry rot is a fungus that forms in moisture soaked wood, generally in places shaded from sunlight. Left untreated it’ll spread and destroy the integrity with the timbers, ultimately causing structural failure. Seek it out diligently. It will hide by you in locations that take time and effort to arrive at, often within the deck where boards and timbers meet. Use a screw driver or similar tool to jab at wood, trying to find the tell-tale cardboard-like texture which offers little resistance to your probing. Don’t be fooled by painted boards that look sound. Dry-rot can hide behind a layer of paint and be tough to notice unless you probe. Badly damaged supporting timbers and deck boards need to be replaced. If the damage isn’t severe you are able to chip away the loose wood fibers and apply a fungicide product like Bora Care or Shell-Guard. Many people report good results with using anti-freeze to take care of the affected area. If a significant area of a timber is damaged, consider eliminating that part and replacing it with a tight-fitting plug that you just epoxy into place. (Follow recommended safety guidelines when working with epoxy.)
Cleaning the Deck Surface. Even after just one season new decks, or else properly treated, can lose their original luster and turn a dingy gray. Ultraviolet rays are often at fault. Grime, mildew and mold could also detract through the appearance your deck. Before you start work on the actual surface cleaning, ensure your deck has proper drainage. Clean the cracks relating to the surface boards with a pressure nozzle on your garden hose. (As tempting as you possibly can, avoid a pressure washer. Even if used judiciously the power with the spray can harm the soft fibers with the wood, giving your deck a grainy and fuzzy appearance.) Where stubborn grime remains in the cracks relating to the boards, use a putty knife or saw blade to clear the best way for water to drain. This is especially important near to a home where winter snow can trap water and create a pool inches deep.
The next line of attack is to apply an oxalic acid-based wood cleaner like Wolman DeckBrite Wood Cleaner & Coating Prep or Armstrong’s Wood Cleaner. The oxygen bleach products tend not to contain chlorine and therefore are safe to use around plants and animals. The main ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, sometimes in the liquid solution or perhaps dry form with soda ash. As the solution soaks to the wood, oxygen ions stop working mildew, algae, and dirt.Another approach, in case you are dealing mostly with mildew, is always to make your own cleaning solution with 3 quarts water, one quart of oxygen bleach, as well as a quarter cup of liquid dishwasher detergent. Use the ammonia free type. The oxygen bleach will get rid of the mildew and the detergent will aid in its removal. After allowing the cleaning treatment for mean 10-15 minutes, scrub with floor with a medium-stiff brush, either with a pole as being a push broom or down on hands and knees should you be just like me and you desire to put your muscles into your work. The final step is always to rinse it clean with a garden hose.
Apply a Quality Deck Sealer. Allow your deck to dry prior to deciding to apply any sealer or stain. Then go with a day when you’re confident that you just won’t possess rain for an additional 24 to a couple of days. You shouldn’t attempt to utilize stains or sealers over existing paint or stain for the reason that sealer won’t penetrate the wood. You can test this by sprinkling a bit water on your deck. If the water beads and it is still at first glance after 15 minutes, you will need to return back and remove the present stain. When it comes to deciding on a sealant there are several items to consider. Natural oil sealants usually are not recommended for the reason that oils turn deck green or black. Also the natural oils serve as food for algae and mildew. Most clear sealants won’t provide much protection against UV ray damage.
Among the most effective choices pigmented sealants as it is often the pigments that absorb UV rays and diminish the discoloration frequently seen on wood decks. An epoxy sealant, like DEFY Epoxy Fortified, has chemicals that both deflect sun light and absorb harmful rays. It is a water based formula that comes in numerous colors like natural pine, cedar, and redwood. Tinted finishes add color without hiding the natural wood grain, while semi-transparent stains combine color, allowing some with the wood’s grain to show. The semi-transparent stains provide longer protection than tinted finishes. If you have grown tired of cleaning and taking care of your wood deck every number of years, you may well be ready to consider another option-paint. A great choice, but tricky to utilize, is a new paint that is a mixture of water-based urethane and acrylic resins, like the Sears Weatherbeater Ultra. The advantage is the coating last for several years. Although decks can require a large amount of maintenance to make sure they’re looking sharp, additionally they offer many years of enjoyment.