Decking and wood cleaning.

All outside structures need cleaning or some form of 'cosmetic' maintenance from time to time. Decking is no exception. Areas under planters, and the area adjacent to the BBQ grill are typical. You may also get rust stains from metal furniture legs etc. Timber decks are relatively maintenance free, but they do need cleaning from time to time

Deck timber naturally fades as a result of exposure to ultra violet light from the sun's rays - even here in the UK!

Dirt by way of atmospheric dust particles, overhanging tree debris, bird droppings, BBQ debris! Biological degradation of decks include, fungal activity, moulds, decay, and in shaded areas algae or moss.
Stains from unsuitable fittings can also cause problems such as un-galvanized nails, screws and bolts.

Do not use any chlorine based bleach, for whilst this will clean your deck of algae and mildew in particular, it will also break down the lignin in the deck timber - which holds the wood together!

Decking cleaning is not as straight forward as other surfaces due to it being a naturally soft porous material. At Dapper we use a jet washer with an a nozzle specifically designed for cleaning timber. This is not a heavy duty cleaner an no timbers should ever be cleaned with a rotary cleaner or industrial washer. Anything to powerful or with the incorrect nozzle will leave the timber with a 'wooly' finish, as it will destroy the wood fibers. The result will be a deck that is very difficult - if not impossible - to clean or to treat.

Once the deck is clean - then and only then - you can think about a long term Decking Treatment regime to enhance the colour and longevity of your deck. Even after a suitable treatment application, regular cleaning of your deck is important to maintain the colour of the deck timbers.

Problems that can be prevented are those often associated with placing planted containers and furniture on the deck. Planted containers - great deck assets - should have a moisture-proof stand underneath. An please do your planting and re-planting either off the deck, or with a good protective groundsheet under the work area. Before treating any deck, the deck should be thoroughly cleaned.

Below are a couple of the most common causes of deck staining and how best to prevent them:

Planters - Tubs and Pots etc on Timber decks

When you move planters about on your deck, you are often left with areas that have not 'faded' at the same rate as the rest of the deck, or patches of algae growth under where the planters were. The damp areas under planters are ideal for algae.

One way to prevent these problems is to place the planters on metal plant stands - or even the small terracotta 'feet' that are available.

Rust Marks

Rust marks can be removed using commercial rust remover, or even a light sanding on a dry day. Prevention is best however paint the undersides of metal furniture to prevent this happening.