Deck Maintenance
Latest Deck Maintenance Articles
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Deck Maintenance
How to Stain a Deck
There are many considerations when selecting wood deck stain. Deck stain products are available in two styles - penetrating and film deck stains. Deck stain colors are also a choice you have to make. You need to clean your deck prior to applying decking stains. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
How to Clean a Deck
Is there a proper way to clean a deck? Do you use a pressure washer, scrub brush or a green-cleaner, such as oxygen bleach? Each method has it's advantages. Discovery if a power washer or oxygen bleach is how to clean a deck. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Deck Cleaning and Sealing
Deck cleaning is an annual chore for many. Deck sanding and cleaning happens to those people who choose to use wood-damaging pressure washers. Cedar deck cleaning and sealing is now easy with oxygen bleach and a special epoxy sealer for cedar. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Deck Sealer - Clear Epoxy
Wood decks look great after they have been cleaned. Now wooden decks can be sealed with a clear epoxy sealer that does not let the wood turn gray. This synthetic resin sealer has no oils to allow algae and mildew to feed and grow on. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Deck Sealer - Epoxy Fortified
Oil based sealants will seal a wooden deck. They will repel the water. They will also feed mildew and algae, allowing the wooden deck to gray out and darken. Seal your wood deck with an epoxy fortified sealer. It has no oils and penetrates deeply into the wood. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Deck Cleaning Dilemma
Wood decks built with CCA treated lumber should be cleaned and sealed to keep the chemicals from being washed out of them and into the soil. Power washing can destroy a deck by shredding the soft wood on top. Oxygen bleach cleaners are non toxic and clean wood beautifully. Seal your wood decks with a synthetic resin sealer which has no oils to feed the growth of mildew or algae. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Avoid Annual Deck Cleaning
Clean and seal your deck and take next year off? It can be done. Use oxygen bleach to get a beautiful clean. Power washing will chew up the soft wood of your deck. Penetrating water repellents made of synthetic resins soak into the wood. These are not film forming sealers that will feed algae and mildew. Follow the directions and then take a year or two off. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Independent Deck Finish Results
Deck finish test results from 2000 were published by Earlham Analytical Testing Labs in Indiana. They weathered 30 deck finishes for at least six months to see how well each performed in outdoor exposure and repelling water. Here are the top five deck finishes. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Deck Cleaning & Sealing Tips
Deck cleaning takes a lot of work. Oxygen bleach works wonderful to clean your deck without harming it. The next step to keeping your deck clean is sealing it. Imagine a deck sealer that lasts two to three years! It is possible to get results like that if you choose wisely. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Deck Cleaning Instructions
These deck cleaning instructions take you step by step with pictures through the process of cleaning a deck with oxygen bleach. Wood deck cleaning is simple with this tutorial. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Deck Sealer Tests
The following chart displays the results from 25 tested wood sealers and water repellents in 1996. The synthetic resins tested best. The top product was Sikkens, an expensive film former resin. The second place product, called Defy, is not a film former and is an excellent product. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Oxygen Bleach Deck Cleaning
Chlorine bleach is a great sanitizer but it can harm wood. For deck cleaning, use oxygen bleach. Oxygen bleach doesn't harm wood or remove color from your deck. Stain Solver is my brand of oxygen bleach. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Power Washing vs. Oxygen Bleach
Power washing does erode wood, despite what many people think. To wash a deck properly, use a solution of oxygen bleach and seal the deck the next day with a synthetic resin sealer. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Pressure Washing Wood Decks
Pressure washing wood decks can erode the soft wood of the lumber used on your deck rails and floors. It will actually splinter it. Chlorine Bleach will damage all of the components of your wooden decks and it is toxic to surrounding plantings. Oxygen bleach is the way to clean for a beautiful finish that looks like a new deck. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Strip Finishes Off Decks
Wood decks look great when coated with a film forming sealant ... for about a minute. They tend to peel from exposure to the elements. Strip these films off and clean your deck. Oxygen bleach will clean without causing all the damage that chlorine bleach will. Apply a synthetic water repellent. It will not feed the growth of mildew and algae and will look great ... for years. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Oxygen Bleach & Synthetic Water Repellents
Sealing decks every year is a pain. Avoid the yearly deck cleaning and deck sealing by using oxygen bleach and a synthetic resin sealer. Always clean after stripping wood decks of old finishes. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Wood Deck Strippers
Deck stripping products come in a variety of chemical strengths. Deck strippers can range from mild to toxic. Try the least aggressive stripper first on your wood deck. If it doesn't work, move up in strength. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Wood Deck - Clean / Seal
Your wood deck can look like new. Oxygen bleach will safely clean your deck without harming surrounding plantings. Use a synthetic resin deck sealant to seal your deck. Put your feet up on a lounge chair and enjoy the next few years. read more... -
Deck Maintenance
Consumer Reports - Deck Sealers
Deck sealers have been reviewed in Consumer Reports magazine. Check the May, 1997 and June, 1999 magazines for more information about what products worked and what products didn't. read more...
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Deck Maintenance
Protect Decks / Synthetic Sealers
Synthetic deck sealers and synthetic technology prevent wood decks from rotting and growing algae and mildew stains. Clean and seal decks immediately after installation to prevent problems. read more...
