What Most Homeowners Do Not Know About Deck Cleaning and Sealing

Recently a homeowner was inclined to wash and seal his own deck over a weekend. He rented a pressure washer and bought some deck cleaner. His plan was to wash the deck on Saturday and then seal it on Sunday. He got up early on Saturday and started in on washing the deck. He was not aware of it at the time but there was remnants of an old deck sealer on the wood that the previous homeowners had applied. It was very faint as it had faded over the years but none the less it was still in the wood pours. The deck cleaner he had bought at a big box store was basically just soap and was not going to remove any old sealer. Pressure did not remove any either. But regardless the man went on.

He noticed some scarring and furring on the wood when he had finished but just figured the new deck stain would cover it up. It was proud of what had took him eight hours or so and a lot of hard work. He got up Sunday and prepared to seal the wood. This took him even longer than the washing even with his wife helping him. He finished it up Monday morning after giving up the night before. But now the deck was finished, cleaned and sealed what a beautiful sight it was. The man bragged about the job he had done and all the money he had saved doing it himself.

Needless to say he was dumbfounded when nine months later the new deck sealer started to peel and flake. Within a year the deck looked like a complete wreck, the deck sealer had completely failed. The man blamed it on the deck sealer and tried calling them and complaining, they told him that he did not prep the deck correctly so the sealer was not warrantied. You see, because the old deck stain was not removed and the deck was not washed with contractor grade cleaners it was not ready to receive new sealer. But when the man applied sealer anyway he was sealing the deck own doom without knowing it.

Deck sealer needs to penetrate into the wood, that is how it works, it is not like paint that forms a film and sits on top of the wood. But this is exactly what it did when he applied it over an old sealer. The old sealer kept the new sealer from being able to penetrate the wood. It is not meant to adhere to old sealer so it failed prematurely. Now the man had to have the deck completely stripped and rewashed to remove two layer of old sealer and it ended up costing him twice as much as it would have had he hired a professional to begin with. A lesson hard learned.

Deck Restoration Granger Indiana Services

The restoration of wooden decks is a skilled service that is offered in Granger, Indiana and the surrounding area. A professional deck restoration Granger contractor can restore an old neglected deck to make it look new again. The proper equipment, chemicals, and methods are very necessary requirements to get dramatic results. These services are not as cheap as some may think. To get professional results takes a lot more than just blasting the wood with water.

Many homeowners have cleaned and sealed their own decks only to be disappointed a year later when the deck looks in bad shape again. This is because the wood was not prepared correctly. At this point it would not matter how expensive the deck sealer was that they put on it, it would fail prematurely because of improper preparation.

Wood has to be stripped of any old sealer that may be present and has to be thoroughly cleaned and free of all dirt, grime, mold, and mildew. The wood then has to be brightened or neutralized to make it more acidic so the new deck sealer can penetrate the wood properly. These steps are very crucial to a proper restoration. After the deck reaches a 12% moisture level or less (normally a day or two) the new deck sealer is then applied.

A properly sealed deck will last 2 to 3 years before needing maintenance again. A professional deck restoration company can put you on a maintenance plan in which they came back every two years to maintain the deck. This way the deck looks good all the time. Most of the time the maintenance is not as costly as the initial restoration.

Why Deck Staining in Cities Like Warsaw, Indiana is Necessary

Cleaning and staining decks in Warsaw on a regular basis is necessary to the life of the wood. The sun and moisture can and will rot the wood over time. Even pressure treated woods needs to be protected with a deck or fence stain. The chemical treatment in pressure treated lumber is to deter insects and bugs from eating the wood.

Pressure treated, cedar, redwood, and all exotic hardwood like mahogany and ipe all have to have a deck stain applied to them to protect them from the elements. The sun's UV rays are what turns a deck grey. Rain and moisture will including morning dew, will swell the wood as it absorbs the water. As the day warms and moisture dries up, the wood then shrinks. It is this constant swelling and shrinking that will eventually crack, splinter, and warp the wood. A good deck stain is required to protect against this sun and water damage or a deck can deteriorate in very little time.

For Warsaw, Indiana residents there are deck staining services available. With the weather warming up, so is the deck staining season. Deck staining Warsaw services are offered to homeowners from April though October during which time a deck can be cleaned and stained to look like new again. Even old neglected decks can be brought back to life with by an experienced wood restoration company.

Decks are a wonderful place for family time and cookouts. They are added living space and can add value to your home and property. Taking care of your deck is going to save you money in the long run. Having the deck cleaned and stained properly by a professional is the key.

What People Don't Realize About a Deck Cleaning Contractor

There is a lot of misconception when it comes to deck cleaning and sealing services. So many people think that blasting a deck with a pressure washing is adequate enough to clean it. They then follow this with a fresh coat of deck sealer. What they do not understand is why the deck looks horrible again in less than a year and why the deck sealer is starting to fade.

Deck cleaning contractors know why. It is because the wooden deck was not prepared properly. But most people at this point would blame the deck sealer. So they wash the deck again and put a different brand of deck sealer on it and the same thing happens. This is a vicious cycle and after awhile they either give up completely or they finally call in a professional deck cleaning contractor. Deck cleaning is a skilled trade that most will not understand until they actually see professional results.

Now the contractor sees years of neglect and multiple layers of different brands of deck sealer and he knows the job will not be easy. Deck sealer is meant to penetrate the wood, but time after time people will apply new deck sealer over the old deck sealer. The deck sealer does not adhere to one another nor is it suppose to. So the new deck sealer begins to peel and flake off and it becomes a huge mess.

The deck cleaning contractor now has to strip and remove all the old remnants of deck sealer to get down to the bare wood again, but yet people will balk at the cost of doing a complete restoration like this. It stems from a lack of understanding how deck restoration is performed. There is no blasting the wood with water and slapping a new deck sealer over the old. A stripping agent is applied to remove the old failing sealer, a neutralizing step is then performed, and then a new deck sealer is applied to the new looking deck.

Deck Refinishing Services for Granger, IN Residents

A wooden deck is a great place for any out door get together. Everyone that had a deck and enjoys it knows that it is worth its weight in gold. Being able to add extra living space to your home is always a plus. Extra outdoor living space is very much enjoyed even in the northern climate of Granger, IN.

Granger homeowners know how to entertain guests, friends, and family. Cookouts are common through out Granger subdivisions during any warm summer weekend or holiday. The best way for homeowners to keep up with wood deck maintenance is to hire a deck refinishing Granger company. A reputable deck refinishing company will know what equipment, methods, and cleaners to use to restore and maintain your beautiful Granger deck.

Not having to worry about refinishing the deck themselves leaves their mind at ease. With career and family demands most Granger residents cannot not find the time to refinish their deck anyway. And they know that hiring a professional deck refinishing Granger, IN contractor certainly has its benefits. Deck refinishing is much harder than most people think, it really is a skilled trade when it is done correctly.

With deck refinishing, the deck must first be prepared properly or the new deck finish will not adhere properly to the wood. The first must be cleaned to remove contaminants like dirt, mold, mildew, and any old deck finish that may be present. The Granger, IN deck is then allowed to dry for several days before the new deck finish is applied to protect against sun and water damage.

How Important Is Cleaning Vinyl Siding in Bristol, IN

Just like anything that is exposed the Mother Nature in Bristol, your vinyl siding needs attention and maintenance every couple of years. Mold, mildew, and algae will grow on vinyl siding normally first appearing on the north side of the house where the prevailing amount of shade and moisture are present. A cleaning vinyl siding Bristol, IN contractor will know how to properly kill and remove these contaminants from your home's exterior.

When neglected, these natural contaminants can enter the inside of the home through open windows, vented fascia areas, and attic vents. Mold and mildew can cause serious health concerns among residents of the Bristol home suffering from these issues. A simple maintenance cleaning program can be set up so your home remains clean all the time. A good vinyl siding cleaning every couple of years will be enough to keep these contaminants at bay.

Areas that are more shaded, like houses in wooded areas, may need to be cleaned more often. As will homes near a busy highway, airport, or industrial areas. Cleaning vinyl siding in Bristol is a great services for residents who understand the importance of keep a clean home. It will eradicate any health issues, it will increase the curb appeal of the Bristol home, and will increase the overall value.

Rochester Indiana House Washing and Hot Water?

You may have seen this in ads or heard it from contractors; "specializing in hot water washing." So is hot water better for house washing Rochester, Indiana homes? What benefit is it to home owners living in Rochester? To answer some of these questions we have asked many other house washing contractors around the country if they use hot water to wash houses. Their answers may amaze you. We actually found very few that use hot water for house washing on a regular basis. But quite a few have tried it in the past. Their feedback was from their experience and was honest.

A major concern that we kept hearing was that hot water can warp vinyl siding. It seems that too hot of water can too quickly change the molecules in the vinyl siding causing a permanent warping effect. Another concern we heard was that hot water alone can be detrimental to the surrounding plants and shrubbery. It makes sense if you think about it.

The real amazing thing was that no contractors found that hot water actually got the house cleaner than using normal temperature water and the proper chemicals. They did report it saved on chemicals costs because the chemicals would spread further, but the cost evened out by the time they paid for fuel for the hot water burner to run. So it didn't make much sense to risk damaging the siding for no reason.

Basically, the end result to the homeowner is the same; a clean house. There is no benefit for the customer whether a house washing company uses hot water or not. What most said was that in their opinion the whole "hot water washing" line is just a marketing gimmick. Customers think they are getting something better when really they aren't. The funny thing is that the companies advertising hot water do not even use hot water most of the time. Like when it is 90 degrees outside, what is the point, right? Be aware of this type of trickery to gain your house washing Rochester business but could actually damage your home.