What to Put on a Deck After Pressure Washing
After pressure washing a deck it is important to take some extra steps. To keep a deck in good shape it is good to take the time after pressure washing to follow up with a sealant. There are some steps below that can keep your deck in good shape with a great appearance. These steps are super simple too! Check them out now.
Unlike Washing, Treatment Is Simple
The hardest part of the job is actually pressure washing the deck. It is important to pressure wash the deck fully. No furniture should be left on the deck. Every inch of the deck should be clean and ready to dry. Do not replace the furniture or other items until the last step is done after pressure washing.
Pressure Washing Friendswood, which does pressure washing in Friendswood, stresses that you will want to make sure that the deck has been completely pressure washed before moving on to the next step. There should be no mold, algae, or other debris left anywhere on the deck. This will ensure that the sealant will hold and cover the entire deck. Plus, it contributes to a longer life of the deck and a beautiful finish.
Make Sure to Let the Deck Dry
Once the deck has been completely cleaned, it is important to allow the deck to dry. Try to only pressure wash the deck when there will be good weather for several days in a row. The deck will need to be completely dry for the next step. The weather should be warm to allow for better drying throughout the wood.
The deck should dry out for at least 24 hours or more before moving on to the next step. This ensures that the sealant will do its job.
The sealant will need to dry, too. This is very important to note. Check the weather and ensure that there will be enough time to allow for both the drying after the pressure washing process and after applying the sealant.
You can find more information on when to pressure wash your deck at Lowe’s.
Seal the Deck
The next step is to seal the deck. This is very important. One may be wondering if a deck with treated wood should still have a sealant used. The answer is yes, the deck should still have a sealant applied. After being pressure washed, the wood will be in need of a water sealant. Take a look at the steps below.
Steps to take when applying sealant to a deck:
- Try to ensure warm and dry weather. This is to allow time for drying after pressure washing and after applying sealant.
- Decide how you want to apply the sealant. Sealant can be applied by using a spray pump, rolling it on, or even painting it on.
- The key is to apply the sealant evenly across the entire deck. The deck should be covered fully with the sealant without clumps or running of the sealant. If the sealant runs while applying it, simply smooth it out with a brush. It will be similar to painting.
- Purchase enough sealant. One common mistake made while applying sealant to a deck is running out of sealant. This can result in not applying enough sealant to every inch of the deck.
How Much Sealant Will Be Needed?
This depends greatly on the size of the deck and the age of the deck. For every 300 square feet you will need a gallon of deck sealant. However, if the deck is older, more sealant will need to be used. The reason is that the wood of the deck will likely absorb a lot of the sealant. So it is good to have those couple extra gallons on hand if the deck is older.
- Also, take into account if the deck has been sealed before. If the deck has not been sealed, then it is likely that more sealant will be needed to cover the entire deck thoroughly.
How Long Will the Deck Need to Dry?
The deck will need to dry for a complete 24 hours. If a lot of sealant was applied, you can then double that time to 48 hours. This means no traffic on the deck during this time. No one should walk on the deck and hopefully the weather will stay warm and dry for the whole process.
You can check out DeckStainHelp.com for more information on what to do if it rains while the deck is drying.
The steps are very simple once the deck has been washed. Once everything is dried, you will be happy that you took the time to seal the deck. Check out this YouTube video for more information.
