The first step to restoring any deck is to clean and prepare the wood for sealing.  If preparation is not done properly, it will severely reduce the length of time your deck is protected!  As experienced Minnesota deck stainers, we have seen what the harsh weather here can do to a less than professional deck cleaning.

The Art of Pressure Washing:

Choose a pressure washer that is 2500-3500 psi.  The nozzle should have a spread of 15-30 degrees.  No conic nozzles!  Uneven pressure from the washer will leave marks in the wood which can be permanent!  Think of it this way – If it is strong enough to deeply clean your deck, it is strong enough to literally cut your deck.  Be sure to avoid direct skin contact with the pressurized stream!

Tip:  If you leave a cut mark, as seen in this picture above, give us a call!  It is very important to take care of these marks before staining because it will only make the marks more visible.

Contrarily, if you use too little pressure, your deck will not absorb the stain properly.  This will cause the stain to fade in as little as one summer.

The appropriate amount of pressure should be enough to remove old stain, dirt or mildew while not causing the wood to fray or splinter.

Take a look at this deck washing before and after photo:

If you are considering staining the deck yourself Deck ReDo offers you some options:

1. If you or your kids are set on staining it yourself, consider having Deck ReDo properly clean the deck.  We are very reasonable and can save you enormous amounts of time and money.
2. Call us for your free estimate.  We all like to be handy and accomplishing a project is a great feeling, however consider all the costs.
   1. High quality deck stain is really expensive and choosing the right products can be really important.  Deck ReDo has great product buying power for stain and can give great recommendations on colors and mixtures.  Darker colors are recommended for certain woods, decks with different light exposures, and decks with pet or high traffic.  Why learn from mistakes when you can learn from our experience.
   2. Renting washers and sanders can be expensive and requires experience to operate.  Consider adding up the time you have spent and money invested in rented a washer and Deck ReDo becomes the obvious choice.

Give us a call.  Bids are free and so is the advice.  952-303-1311
Located in Richfield and Burnsville MN.  Servicing Twin Cities and Surrounding Areas.