If you don’t already own one of the many commercially available pressure washers for a homeowner, you can rent one from your local home center. Seek out the highest GPM (gallons per minute) machine they have available. This will make the job go considerably faster. The pressure is not important as high pressure should not be used to clean wood. A simplified analogy is to think of cleaning a dirty dish with a spray bottle (higher pressure/lower flow) versus using the water from a faucet (lower pressure/higher flow)

Damage from using high pressure can vary from splinters and raised grain to visible lap marks in the wood (these show up more after sealing) Just using a pressure washer without a proper detergent like Restore-A-Deck can also yield unwanted results. The pictures below show examples of a homeowner using no cleaner and just high-pressure water to clean.

After you have allowed the oxygenating power of Restore-A-Deck to work its magic, it’s time to rinse. While you are at the home center renting your machine, try to have them give you a nozzle which will lower your effective pressure to 800 psi. If you do not have access to interchangeable nozzles, you will need to keep the tip of your gun at 12-18 inches from the surface.

Start the flow away from the wood surface and bring the gun slowly into the position to start rinsing. Start at one end of a board and walk your way to the opposite end keeping the nozzle the same distance from the surface the entire way. This will prevent lap marks. If for any reason you need to stop in the middle of a board, start the process from the beginning (at the end of the board) until you pick up where you left off. Take your time and always keep conscious of the distance between the spray tip and the wood. Be extra cautious on spindles.

When you are finished cleaning, apply your brightener and rinse. You may use the pressure washer again or a hose may be faster for you. No pressure is necessary during this final step.

Note: You may experience some small fuzzies that appear after the wood dries. This is normal to a small degree (especially on cedar). Often times these will dry up and fall away during subsequent rainfall. If you are planning on sealing as soon as is possible, these can be sanded away.

Once you receive your DIY deck kit, you are ready to beautify your hard earned investment. These instructions will also be sent with your kit.

Here are the tools for the job: (available separately)

• Two Gallon Pump Up Sprayer
• Garden Hose With Pressure Spray Attachment
• Wraparound protective eyewear and gloves
• 5-gallon empty bucket
• Stirring stick
• Optional Equipment:
• A Second Pump Sprayer (not necessary if you choose to rinse properly between steps)
• Pressure Washer

You will receive two separate containers in your kit. One will be red labeled and marked Step 1 “Cleaner”. The other will be blue labeled and marked Step 2 “Brightener”. THESE TWO CONTAINERS ARE NOT TO BE MIXED

CLEANING / LIGHT STRIPPING

1) Put on your optional safety gear (protective eyewear, gloves, and mask) The chemicals in R-A-D are mild but can irritate those with sensitive skin. For liability reasons, we recommend always wearing safety gear.

2) Open the red labeled container marked “Professional Grade Cleaner”

3) Fill your 5-gallon bucket with warm water. Leave some space at the top to allow for foaming and stirring without spillage.

4) For aggressive cleaning or when mold growth is present, pour one red labeled container (Step-1) into the bucket and stir contents until dissolved. If you are going to reseal with the same sealer that is presently on the wood and there is no visible mold growth, you can use half of a container. This will yield milder cleaning action. On grayed wood always use full strength.

5) Prepare the area surrounding the deck by wetting all vegetation and soil generously. If you have landscaping directly under the deck, you may prefer to use plastic to cover. Though biodegradable and not harmful to soil Ph this cleaner may cause temporary browning of plant life. The plants regenerate in about four weeks but we understand this may not be desirable. Use your discretion. In our experience, keeping the vegetation wet with clean water prevents this from happening altogether.

6) Spray the entire surface to be cleaned with Restore-A-Deck cleaner. Apply generously.

Note: It is very important to keep the wood wet with solution. Work in small sections and go back and re-wet any sections that appear to be drying.

7) Let Restore-A-Deck dwell for 15 minutes (new construction or no previous sealer on wood) to 20 minutes (mold covered or previously sealed). Keep the solution wet by re-misting frequently. If the product dries, it is not working. You will see Restore-A-Deck cleaner’s foaming action pulling the dirt from the wood fibers.

Note: While the product is dwelling, it is a good time to re-wet surrounding vegetation.

Note: Depending on the level of care your deck needs, heavily grayed wood may need brushing especially if you are not using a pressure washer to rinse.

8) The rinsing process is critical. If you are comfortable using a pressure washer you may speed up your rinsing process by using one. Keep your tip at least 12 inches from the wood surface. If you are using a garden hose, set your hose attachment to the strongest setting and rinse slowly and thoroughly. Error on the side of caution. When you think you have rinsed the deck thoroughly, rinse it one last time.

9) As a final step rinse everything that has come in contact with the solution including siding, windows, or plant life. It may seem like overkill, but doing the job correctly should be your goal.

• Any leftover cleaner can be used to clean sidewalks, vinyl siding, or lawn furniture.-

BRIGHTENING

The deck brightening stage is where the magic begins to happen.

Follow the same steps and mixing process as above using the blue labeled “Professional Grade Brightener” being sure the pump up sprayer you are using is clean. We recommend using two separate sprayers, one each for the cleaner and the brightener. You may use a single sprayer doing a triple rinse process making sure no cleaner remains in sprayer tank or hose.

You are now ready to apply the finish of your choice. We recommend using a high quality,  semi-transparent stain for maximum durability.