Deck Cleaning in Fort Gratiot Township

On an open deck facing Lake Huron, sun breaks down the lignin that binds the surface fibers of the wood, and the loose fibers turn gray and fuzzy. Wind off the lake dries the boards fast after rain, so they check and split along the grain. Behind a house beside the woods in the southwest of the township, the same boards stay damp into the afternoon and grow mildew and algae along the edges, under the railings and on the stair stringers, which dry last. Many decks show both, gray on the open boards and green near the house wall. Gray wood is weathered rather than dead, and cleaning removes the loose fibers to reach sound wood beneath.

Composite boards follow their maker's rules. Trex's care guide allows a pressure washer of no more than 3,100 psi with a fan tip on its Transcend, Enhance and Select decking, but does not recommend one on early-generation Trex decking, which gets a deck cleaner, a soft brush and a garden-hose rinse instead. Stain follows its own line: Trex's painting bulletin says the top surface of Transcend, Enhance and Select cannot be painted or stained, while early-generation boards such as Accents and Origins can take paint or stain. A brightener goes on only where the maker calls for one, such as tannin from wet woodlot leaves, after a test on a hidden board. Our guide to preparing a composite deck covers the season's care.

A wood deck original to a 1990s house here may be CCA-treated lumber. EPA says makers stopped treating wood with CCA for homeowner use in December 2003, and older treated wood went into decks and playsets. EPA suggests applying a penetrating coating, such as an oil- or water-based stain, on a regular basis, which may reduce leaching, so a clean, brightened surface ready for stain matters on these decks. The drive of about 50 minutes up I-⁠94 carries no travel fee, and the written quote follows within 24 hours.

How a Wand Furs Lake-Dried Boards

High pressure across the grain cuts into the soft earlywood between growth rings and raises a hairy surface that splinters underfoot and takes stain in blotches. Boards already dried and checked by sun and lake wind fur faster, because the wand opens the cracks wider. A bleach-only wash kills mildew but can darken the wood and leaves the gray fibers in place. Skipping the brightener leaves the wood dark or uneven. Staining too soon after washing traps moisture in the boards, and the finish peels.

When to Book Deck Cleaning in Fort Gratiot Township

Deck cleaning works from late spring through early fall. Late May or June suits most decks here, once spring rain has eased and before the deck sees heavy summer use. A deck under the woods is best cleaned before the leaves start dropping in fall, since wet leaves left on clean boards stain them with tannin. A late fall cleaning works too, though stain may have to wait until spring.