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Here Is Information On Pressure Washing Decks And Wood Preservation

By Pamela Hill


It is clear that most people associate pressure washers with cleaning. However, only a few people think of it as a surface preparation tool. A pressure washer can be used to clean a surface before it is painted. It is especially effective against chalking residue. It scours off all dirt and grime ensuring that a good bonding surface for the new coat is left behind. This is worth knowing about Pressure washing decks and wood preservation.

When latex paints or old oil wears, it forms a powdery substance known as chalking. When a pressure washer is used to clean surfaces with chalking, it is so effective such that a cleanser will not be needed. On the other hand, a cleanser is usually necessary after a surface with chalking has been hand-washed. This is necessary before new paint is applied. One must ensure that they check for dirt under the soffits.

Availability of chalking can be identified by having the painted surface rubbed. If the surface was coated using one hundred percent acrylic latex paints, there are minimal chances for chalking to be observed. Surfaces that are in a good state demand little washing to ensure proper adherence of new paint. Old paint should never be removed using pressure washers. This method should strictly be utilized to get rid of chalking.

Water streams for low pressure need to be employed when working with brick walls or wood siding in the proximity. The reason is that mortar can be dislodged from in between gouge wood or bricks. Furthermore, utilizing this method in surface preparation does the job carelessly. For this reason, individuals are forced to perform scraping separately and this is time consuming.

It is effective on almost all surfaces including masonry, vinyl, aluminum siding, and wood. Hardboard siding should be exempted from this list considering its vulnerability to moisture. The other reason for its exemption is the level of difficulty involved in repairing it in the event that it is accidentally gouged.

Pressure washing can also be used for removing mildew before painting is done. During cleaning, one should establish whether they are dealing with mildew or blackened dirt. This can be quite confusing since both mildew and dirt have a dark appearance. Mildew on the other hand lightens in a few minutes when bleach is applied. If the surface turns out to have dirt, power washing can be used.

Even though pressure washing is a method of paint preparation, it must not be used on surfaces that were coated with lead paint. The outside of a good number of houses in the United States constructed earlier than 1978 contain lead. This is because it was legal to use lead paints at the time. There are also instances in which an individual may be uncertain of the paint being dealt with. Testing is the only way to be sure.

If the test proves that the paint is lead-based, one needs to contact the local health department for safe removal to be carried out. Such paint should not be pressure washed since this increases the risks of lead contamination. Lead is harmful to the environment, animals, plants and humans.




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