|
Deck Care
FAQ's
 | My deck used to bead
water and now it doesn't, what does that mean? |
That means it is time to apply
a new water repellant or stain. Water is the most damaging to wood, along with
sunlight and excessive temperatures. A good quality water repellant /stain
combination will protect your deck for up to 5 years.
| My deck is made of
pressure treated wood, I thought I didn't need to protect pressure treated
wood? |
"Pressure-treated” does not
mean “weather-proofed”. During the pressure-treating process, lumber is injected
with a preservative called CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate) which protects it
internally from rot, decay and attack from termites or other wood-boring
insects. However, it is still a porous material, and its surface will continue
to absorb water unless protected. In fact, the pressure-treating process can
actually make the wood surface more porous and susceptible to moisture damage.
| It was recommended to me to use
bleach to clean my deck, is this what you use? |
No, we do not recommend using household
bleach, because it is not effective in removing two of the three culprits in
producing a weathered gray deck: ground-in dirt and UV degraded surface fibers.
When you use chlorine bleach-based solutions (sodium hypochlorite) to clean a
wood surface, all you are doing is removing the mildew stains. While using a
bleach-based commercial product can show a dramatic change in color as the
mildew is removed, dirt, debris and degraded surface fibers remain. Left behind
on the surface, this white-washed residue will contribute to coating failures.
Remember,
you would never do laundry with bleach only and expect to have clean clothes!
| Is there a way to clean
a deck to remove surface soil without removing the coating's color
and protection? |
Yes. A mild detergent and warm
water will remove dirt and leaf stains without affecting the coating. To help
your deck look its best, use this cleaning technique between maintenance
coatings. We have yearly maintenance plans for a fraction of the cost of
completely resealing a deck. Without yearly maintenance, the sealer will degrade
within a few years. Once this happens, the old sealer must be completely removed
and new sealer applied which is much more costly than maintaining.
For questions not answered here, please contact customer support at
sales@igchomeservices.com.
Give us a call today!
|
