deck cleaning suggestion needed

Hi,
Last year i did pressure washed my deck. Since then i am seeing small and long chips stick into our feet and we can see that our deck wood looks very rough. I see lot of cracks (on the outer layer only ) on the wood. After the pressure wash i came to know that i have to apply protective water sealant. As i was not knowing i did it after 2 months of pressure washing.

Now my question is , is there any thing i can do to protect my deck and cover seal the cracks. Also i was wondering if i can do any kind of sanding on the wood so that there wont be any chips sticking out. I am not an expert to know if that is a good idea or not.

Any suggestions would be highly appreciated. Whats the best way to seal and get the deck in to good shape...and durable.

 

How old is the deck? previous care?

A pressure washer can be a great tool when used correctly but can also cause damage when used incorrectly. When prepping a deck for stain/sealer I usually wet the deck, spray on a bleach/water solution and rinse it with the PWer. The less pressure the better. It is possible to chew up and damage the wood with too much pressure or holding the tip too close to the wood.

Without seeing your deck it's hard to say what's the best way to proceed. Sanding may help. A heavier coating may also help. Clear sealers don't do much other than repell water. While not always as nice looking a solid stain applies a heavier coating and can help an older deck to still look good. Solid stains also tend to last longer than clear or transparent coatings.

 

Our deck is around 8 years old. You are right, i may have done the pressure wrong by holding too close or with too much pressure. As you guessed i did natural color sealant.

How do i go about it now? Appreciate your help.

 

Can you supply a pic of the wood's problem areas? Use a free site like photobucket.com and provide the link.

If you can sand off the fuzz and any other problem areas you should be able to continue with a clear or transparent stain. Otherwise applying a coat or two of latex solid stain will create a thicker film on the wood and better seal the problem areas.

 

Pressure washer damage is a major issue if not properly done, thus many caution against the use of pressure washing of decks. There are many powdered deck cleaner products that can be applied with garden sprayer, allowed to set, and then brushed and hosed off. Unless you understand the power of the powerwasher, do not proceed with powerwashing. Sanding decks can eliminate stains and other problems. Sanders are available at rental stores. Then, seal with a high quality product like Cabot's or Sikken's.

 

One Handyman who was at our house today said it doesn't look that bad i may have to spray good sealant (treatment) to cover-up minor cracks. Is that the same you are suggesting.

As you rightly pointed out about being cautious, should i know anything before i proceed with my treatment plan? Any specific procedure to follow?
Any product recommendations would be appreciated.

 

There are many different coatings to chose from to use on a deck. Anything from a clear sealer as thin as water to a solid stain which is a little thinner than paint. Obviously the heavier the coating the more it will fill or cover up.

It is always best for the deck to be clean and dry before applying any coating. Since the thin coatings don't "hide" anything it is best to have the wood looking as good as possible before applying it. More pigment = more forgiving.

While spraying is usually the easiest method to apply a deck coating it is always best to back roll or brush the coating to work it into the wood. Spray only may cause the coating to just lay on the surface = less protection, shorter life.

 

Appreciate your response Marksr.