Why a gray, green or slick deck needs more than a rinse
Left outdoors, a wood deck turns gray as its surface fibres weather, and shaded boards pick up algae and moss that make steps and railings slippery underfoot. Composite decking skips the rot but not the mildew and staining. Around Beaver Falls, Monaca and Cranberry Township, decks sit under trees and take freezing winters, so grime on the boards and a slick film on the stairs often show up on the same property.
Washing a deck is not the same job as washing a driveway. Wood and composite react differently to water pressure and to chemistry, and the one size fits all cleaning so common in the power washing industry is how boards end up furred, scarred or bleached. The reasons to wash a deck are the same every time: how it looks, protecting it from damage and decay, and making it safe to use.
The right cleaner for the board in front of us
Our technicians are trained in the proper use of water pressure on a variety of wood and composite decking, and we carry multiple deck cleaners so the product matches the surface instead of the other way around. Boards, steps and railing get a gentle wash with a detergent made for wood or for composite, plus an algaecide that deals with the green growth rather than just rinsing its top layer away.
The same thinking applies to the rest of the outdoor living space. Fences are part of our regular work, both wood and vinyl, and a yellowed vinyl fence or a mildewed lattice top comes back clean with the same patient approach. If you are not sure what your decking is made of, text a photo to (724) 846-8730 and we can talk through what it needs before anyone sets up.
Prepped for stain, or cleaned after one
A deck often gets washed because a coating is next. We prepare decks for a new stain or sealer, and we clean decks that were recently stained. Either way the goal is a surface that is clean and even, because a sealer applied over grime and algae has nothing sound to hold onto. We seal wood decks and we also seal composite decking, so the wash and the protection can be one job instead of two.
Then there is the aftercare that keeps a deck from needing a rescue. An annual pressure wash is a sensible routine for most exterior surfaces, and a sealed deck gives algae far less to grab. We are fully insured, our Pennsylvania license is PA059849, and we have been working around Beaver County for more than 40 years. The number is (724) 846-8730 when you want a free estimate.
