Deck Stripping
The first step to completely remove a tinted stain is to apply a deck stripping chemical. It will need to be applied by hand through a battery operated or hand pump sprayer. A pressure washer cannot be used for this application as the pressure washer dilutes any detergent applied through it at 80% water and only 20% chemical. The stripping agent needs to sit on the surface for a varying amount of time depending on how much old finish is on the surface, typically 10-20 minutes to break down the failing stain. The entire deck needs to be soaked liberally in this solution and let dwell until you can start to see the finish separating from the wood. This can be very time consuming - requiring our technicians to wear PPE, and cover and protect surrounding shrubs/grass - so the extremely corrosive stripper doesn’t cause chemical burns on our skin or dry out your nearby plants.
The next step is to now use our pressure washer to blast away the old stain once we see that the stripping agent has broken down the old stain we’re trying to remove. Every inch of the deck needs to be hit for the most uniform end result possible.
As you can probably tell this process is very involved, much more than a standard deck washing. Here’s the fun part… If multiple coats are to be stripped, or the stain was applied very heavy in spots and lighter than others to begin with, there will most likely be stubborn areas still remaining on the deck after the first stripping. Guess what? Now we have to repeat the entire process listed above until all of the stain is removed. Neutralizing the stripper to bring the wood back to a neutral PH is the final step in this process with a wood brightener (oxalic acid) that needs to be hand applied by pump up sprayer as well. As you can imagine this process can be a bit abrasive on the wood so sanding the deck is always recommended after stripping to buff out any fuzzy or splintered wood caused by the abrasive chemical and multiple passes with the pressure washer. THIS SERVICE IS ONLY RECOMMENDED IF THE DESIRE IS TO GO BACK TO A NATURAL WOOD LOOK OR TO REMOVE A DARKER STAIN TO GO TO A LIGHTER STAIN. In most cases we can do without stripping and perform a basic wash and then match or cover existing stains with a solid, opaque stain.
Deck Washing (Standard)
The main difference between stripping and washing is the initial step of hand applying the stripping agent through a dedicated pump sprayer that won’t dilute our chemical. Our standard deck wash uses a similar detergent but is diluted to a much safer ratio of chemical and water. As shown on our Deck Washing webpage, a similar detergent is used, but this time we’re able to mix it a bit less abrasive and apply the mild detergent through our pressure washing hose, eliminating the need to bring out multiple application tools, wear extensive PPE and less prep for the areas surrounding the deck. A standard deck washing will remove all mold, mildew, dirt, debris, etc. and usually some of the old stain, if present, in high traffic areas or areas where the old stain has worn away. On average, 95% of our clients get a standard deck washing, usually accompanied by sanding if it is an older deck, and finally re staining with a color that is similar enough to their prior stain we can match with a comparable semi transparent stain OR if we want to change the look of the deck without the hassle of stripping, applying a SOLID STAIN is usually the best bet for a uniform finish without the hassle of stripping. Solid stains are also the longest lasting, most durable stains on the market today.
NOTE - SOLID STAINS AND THICKER DECK OVER PRODUCTS CANNOT BE STRIPPED WITH THIS METHOD