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Spring Deck Prep Tips
To Clean,
Restore and Protect Your Deck
Our appreciation to Wolman Wood Care Products for providing this article, with slight editing
It’s
finally spring! Time to move out the patio furniture and get ready to enjoy
the great outdoors.
But, before you do, make sure you clean, restore and protect your deck so you can get the most out of it during the spring and summer months ahead. Here are some deck prep tips from the experts at Wolman Wood Care Products:
- Clean the deck thoroughly to remove embedded dirt, fungus stains and gray
surface wood with a formulated deck cleaner like Wolman Deck & Fence Brightener.
The weathered gray wood left behind from last year’s sun exposure, black or
green stains from mildew, moss and algae, or brown-black tannin bleed common on
new Cedar can ruin the look of your deck. Even newly built decks can require
cleaning to remove invisible surface barriers like mill glaze on new Cedar or
excess wax on pressure-treated wood. These invisible barriers can prevent the
adhesion of protective coatings, including colored stains and clear sealers.
Wolman Deck & Fence Brightener, removes surface barriers, gray wood surfaces and
even the toughest of stains and restores the wood to its natural beauty without
bleaching or yellowing, like chlorine bleach can.
- Strip any deteriorating or unwanted finish. If the colored stain on your
deck has seen better days – or if you want a different look – now is the time to
strip your deck’s finish. Products like Wolman DeckStrip Stain & Finish Remover
remove both oil and latex solid or semi-transparent stains and clear finishes
and prepares the wood for the reapplication of protective finishes and stains.
Deckstrip works fast, and can strip years of multiple coatings buildup in 15
minutes.
- Once the wood is restored and your deck is rid of any surface barriers or unwanted finishes, it should be sealed with a protective water repellent finish. You may want to apply a semi-transparent stain to enhance your deck’s appeal, or a transparent finish to let the natural wood color and texture show through. But, even if you are undecided on whether or not to stain – or on the deck color – it’s important, at minimum, to protect it with a clear water repellent. Water repellents stop spring showers from penetrating the wood surface, which can cause swelling, shrinking, warping and cracking. Many water repellents, including products like Wolman RainCoat, also contain a mildewcide that will impede the growth of mildew on your deck during the warm months ahead. Look for products like Wolman RainCoat, that offer a guarantee on water-repellent longevity, as they will provide longer lasting protection so you won’t have to apply a new coat every year.
Preparing your deck for spring will protect your investment in it and enhance the enjoyment of your outdoor living space. For more information on Wolman wood cleaners, strippers and water repellent finishes, call the company’s technical service department at (800) 556-7737. Or, visit the Wolman web site at www.wolman.com for more helpful deck care tips.
Restore and Protect Your Deck
Have the long months of winter taken a toll on your deck? Is it dirty, mildew-stained and wearing a coat of gray?
Don’t worry. It’s easy to restore your deck to its natural beauty so you can enjoy it during the warm months ahead. And, it’s just as easy to protect your deck so it stays beautiful for years to come. Here’s some advice from the experts at Wolman Wood Care Products:
Step 1
Clean away dirt and gray weathered wood with an acid-free, biodegradable deck cleaner, like Wolman Deck Brite (formerly Deck & Fence Brightener). Deck Brite is tough on ground-in dirt, mildew and algae stains, yet it’s gentle to handle and safe to use near grass, plants or shrubs. Its fast-acting foaming action loosens and lifts dirt, stains and weathered-gray discoloration in 10 minutes or less. And unlike chlorine bleach, which can actually degrade the structure of the wood, Deck Brite’s oxygen bleach formula cleans and restores the wood to its original, like-new look without whitening or damaging the wood surface. Protective finishes will adhere better and last longer.
Step 2
Protect your deck against mildew attack, water damage and graying with a powerful finish and preservative, like Wolman F&P Premium Wood Finish and Preservative. As a preservative, F&P contains twice the mildewcide of other products to prohibit decay-producing fungal growth including mildew and mold – other leading products simply resist mildew on the coating film. It also contains a water repellent that exceeds national standards, thereby minimizing wood damage such as splitting and warping. In fact, F&P is guaranteed to repel water and protect against wood rot and decay up to four years. F&P is available in four one-coat, easy-to-apply finishes – golden pine, natural, cedar and redwood – that beautify wood with long-lasting, transparent color that reveals natural wood grain and protects against graying.
Step 3
Bring out your patio furniture and enjoy your deck this spring – and, for many seasons to come.
For more information about restoring, protecting and beautifying your deck, please call the Wolman Consumer Help Line at 1-800-556-7737 or visit www.wolman.com for more helpful deck care tips.