Wood Deck Epoxy Coating
|Wood Deck Epoxy Coating – Wood decks, if left for the ravages of nature, can easily deteriorate from that clean, shining wood surface you so admired once your deck was not used to a dingy, gray, mildew and dry-rot infested eyesore. If the damage is usually for the deck surface, quick relief is on the way with the cleaning and resealing methods I recommend below. Before you begin, though, you must have a look underneath to make sure dry rot hasn’t found its way to your deck.
Checking for Dry Rot and Making Repairs. Dry rot is a fungus that forms in moisture soaked wood, frequently in places shaded from sunlight. Left untreated it’s going to spread and destroy the integrity with the timbers, ultimately causing structural failure. Seek out diligently. It will hide by you in places that are hard to succeed in, often beneath the deck where boards and timbers meet. Use a screw driver or similar tool to jab at wood, searching for the tell-tale cardboard-like texture that offers little capacity your probing. Don’t be fooled by painted boards that look sound. Dry-rot can hide behind a layer of paint and stay difficult to notice unless you probe. Badly damaged supporting timbers and deck boards have 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 positive results with using anti-freeze to treat the affected region. If a significant part of a timber is damaged, consider eliminating that part and replacing it having a tight-fitting plug that you just epoxy into place. (Follow recommended safety guidelines when you use epoxy.)
Cleaning the Deck Surface. Even after an individual season new decks, or else properly treated, can lose their original luster and turn a dingy gray. Ultraviolet rays tend to be the culprit. Grime, mold and mildew can also detract through the appearance your deck. Before you start focus on the particular surface cleaning, make sure your deck has proper drainage. Clean the cracks relating to the surface boards having a pressure nozzle in your garden hose. (As tempting as possible, avoid using a pressure washer. Even if used judiciously the power with the spray can damage the soft fibers with the wood, giving your deck a grainy and fuzzy appearance.) Where stubborn grime remains within the cracks relating to the boards, work with a putty knife or saw blade to clear the way for water to drain. This is especially important close to a residence where winter snow can trap water and make up 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 usually do not contain chlorine and therefore are dependable around plants and animals. The main ingredient is bleach, sometimes in a very liquid solution or in dry form with soda ash. As the solution soaks in the wood, oxygen ions breakdown mildew, algae, and dirt.Another approach, if you are dealing mostly with mildew, would be to build 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 as well as the detergent will help with its removal. After allowing the cleaning strategy to mean ten to fifteen minutes, scrub with surface area having a medium-stiff brush, either on a pole just like a push broom or recorded on hands and knees in case you are like me and you also desire to put your muscle to your work. The final step would be to rinse it clean having a garden hose.
Apply a Quality Deck Sealer. Allow your deck to dry before you decide to apply any sealer or stain. Then choose a day when you are confident that you just won’t have rain for an additional 24 to 2 days. You shouldn’t attempt to make use of stains or sealers over existing paint or stain as the sealer is not going to penetrate the wood. You can test this by sprinkling a little water in your deck. If the water beads and it is still on the surface after 15 minutes, you need to turn back and remove the existing stain. When it comes to picking a sealant there are many items to consider. Natural oil sealants aren’t recommended as the oils turn deck green or black. Also the natural oils work as food for algae and mildew. Most clear sealants is not going to provide much protection against UV ray damage.
Among the best 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 the sun’s rays 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 add more color, allowing some with the wood’s grain to demonstrate. The semi-transparent stains provide longer protection than tinted finishes. If you have grown tired of cleaning and handling your wood deck every several years, you may be willing to consider another option-paint. A great choice, but tricky to make use of, is a new paint that is a mixture of water-based urethane and acrylic resins, like the Sears Weatherbeater Ultra. The advantage could be that the coating last for countless years. Although decks can need a lots of maintenance to keep them looking sharp, additionally they offer years of enjoyment.