DIYbanter - View Single Post

Eric

wrote:

On Fri, 21 Sep 2007 00:40:44 -0500, Scott wrote:

I know I've asked the question before about whether a do-it-yourselfer
should try pressue washing a 3-year old cedar deck by himself or hire a
professional. I see where Target is selling a Black & Decker 1,600 PSI
Electric Pressure Washer for $88.00. This seems like a good buy, since
hiring someone to do the deck every few years would be around $100. My
3-year old cedar deck greyed considerably last winter, after being cleaned
with bleach and re-stained (Sikken Natural Cedar stain)last year in the
spring. Cleaning it by hand this summer with bleach did very little. The
greying is only on the deck floor and top rail. The verticals are fine.

I'm wondering if it would be worth it to buy this unit now for $88 and use
it on my deck next spring, being careful not to spray too close to the
wood. If I'm careful, is it unlikely I'll damage the wood?

Thanks!
Scott

You have to be careful with a "big" pressure washer, it will cut
trenches in the wood. Unless it is sealed, cedar will always turn
grey. That is it's natural state. I have 2 pressure washers, a small
electric (1300 PSI or so) and a big electric, 5HP that puts out 2700
PSI. I end up using the small one more than the big one.

5hp electric? You know of course that that is not really 5 hp. On a 110v
circuit the most you could run, given standard motor efficiencies, would be
about 1 1/3 hp IF you could get it to start without tripping the breaker
which i doubt.
Eric