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Decks and
Wood Surfaces
| Wood
is a big part of our lives. You clean and protect your wood furniture
inside. It would make just as much sense to protect your investment
by maintaining the outside of your property as well. The cost of
wood is increasing at an alarming rate. Every day this natural
resource is being replaced in situations where it could have been
saved with good maintenance. |
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The
forces of nature can be devastating to wood. Moisture from rain,
snow and dew are quickly absorbed by unprotected wood causing it
to swell while washing out the natural wood resins and coloring.
The heat from the sun dries and shrinks the wood. These daily cycles
of wet and dry swelling and shrinking causes the wood to warp, splinter,
cup, crack and become discolored. Also, the sunlight (UV) rays to
break down the cell structure and degrade the woods integrity. |
| These
factors combine to physically and chemically attack the woods lignin,
the chemical glue that holds the wood fibers together. Moisture
that is allowed to sit in the wood will soon serve as a natural
food source for mold, mildew, algae and fungus causing black, green
or gray discoloration. |
These conditions
are even harder on decks.
| Being horizontal
surfaces, decks hold water and snow for prolonged periods of time,
accelerating the damage. The dampness attracts pollen and fungal
spores which collect and cause ugly discoloration. Decks are also
subject to 40-50% more direct sunlight than comparable vertical
surfaces. This results in unique thermal stresses to the wood. For
example, on sunny summer days the temperature on a deck board can
vary as much as 50°F between the sun-exposed top surface and
the damp, shaded underside. In addition to all of this, decks are
subject to foot traffic, physical wear and tear, and ground-in dirt.
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| If
the wood is not properly cleaned and sealed with the right products,
the wood will eventually begin to rot. The cost to replace
wood is considering much higher than it is maintain it properly.
EZ
Dry's experience in restoring and sealing wood is at the very
highest level. Because every job is different, we will assess
the condition of your wood, ask what kind of results you are looking
for and proceed with suggestions. |
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There
are four ways to go about cleaning wood:
Maintenance
cleaning is the least expensive method. When wood has a good seal
and color sometimes that is all that is necessary. It is very
important to keep the surface looking new by not allowing the
mold to continue to grow, which will eventually deteriorate the
finish and the wood itself.
If the customer’s finish has deteriorated beyond the point
of the simple maintenance cleaning, then we will recommend stripping
the old finish off with the right chemicals and pressure, neutralize/brighten
and finish with a minimum of two coats on the floor.
If it has been over 5 years since the last cleaning and the sealing
has begun to deteriorate, we will recommend the same as above,
plus sanding the wood to ensure all of the old finish is off.
With neglected, gray, moldy wood that has either no finish or
a very cheap clear coat (such as Thompson's), we will soak the
wood thoroughly with our safe mildewcide cleaner, pressure wash
with light pressure, neutralize/brighten and seal with the predetermined
finish of choice.
Keep
in mind that only tinted sealers and stains offer UV protection
for your wood. Clear sealers offer no UV protection.
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| Rather
than blasting wood with high pressure (leaving marks on the wood,
raising the grain and leaving the surface all fuzzy), we use our
exclusive three step process to ensure the wood is completely restored
back to its original color. |
Pressure
washing alone with either the wrong chemicals or no chemicals
will not clean or remove mold and grime from your wood effectively.
Some professionals are still cleaning the wood the old fashioned
way and are using chlorine bleach. This is a big mistake.
Bleach does a very effective job of killing mold and cleaning
surfaces but it is too harsh on bare unprotected wood. If
mixed strong enough it will remove the natural color from the
wood. Also because bleach is very high on the ph scale,
12 or 13 depending on dilution, it will soften the wood too much
and after power washing it will cause damage to the wood fibers,
raising of the grain, and it will leave the surface all fuzzy.
If the wood is not neutralized prior to cleaning it will cause
the sealer to prematurely fail. |
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| EZ
Dry will be glad to give you a free clean test spot, to see what
kind of results you will expect to receive.
Sealing
the wood is again, highly recommended. It will double the
life of your wood. If it is left untreated after pressure
washing, the wood will begin to gray within just a couple of years. |
Brick and
House Washing Services
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