Refresh Your Deck

1. Clean Wet the wood with water from a hose or a power-washer tip held at least 18 inches from the surface. (A wet deck disperses the cleaning solution evenly.) Mix the deck cleaner according to the directions on the container and apply it to the wet wood with a pump sprayer. Wait about 10 minutes for the cleaner to work.

2. Wash Holding the spray fan perpendicular to the gaps between the boards, power-wash mildew and dirt from the wood using long, smooth, overlapping strokes. To avoid gouging the wood, hold the wand at least 4 to 6 inches from the surface, keep it moving continuously, and lift the tip up at the end of each stroke. For railings and balusters, hold the tip 3 to 5 inches away, aim at the corners, and blast two sides at the same time.

3. Rinse Working from the railings down, use the power washer to spray away any loosened grime and wood pulp. Hold the tip at least 18 inches from the wood surface, but this time align the fan with the gaps in the deck. This enables you to dislodge any debris between the boards. Rinse two or three times to ensure that there's no debris to interfere with the bleach or the finish. Also, wet nearby foliage to protect it from the bleach used in the next step.

4. Bleach To kill mildew, pump-spray a dilute solution of nonchlorine bleach on the wet wood. For cedar, redwood, or tropical hardwoods, mix 6 parts water to 1 part bleach; for pine, mix 2 parts water to 1 part bleach. Wait 10 to 20 minutes and rinse thoroughly with water. To lighten cedar or redwood, follow with a solution of wood brightener (oxalic acid), applied to the wet wood with the pump sprayer. Wait 10 minutes and rinse.

Coat the Railings Working from the top down, stain the railings and balusters first with a foam applicator pad. Watch for any drips that form on the rail's underside and immediately wipe them away.

Coat the Decking Using a pump sprayer, apply the finish in long, even, slightly overlapping strokes along the length of the boards. Be sure to spray between the boards too to protect their edges. Stop spraying about 12 inches from the sides of the deck to keep any uncovered surfaces from getting spattered.

Spread the Finish After spraying four or five boards, go back and smooth out the wet finish with a foam applicator pad. Along the edges, carefully cut in the finish with a pad or brush. Repeat spraying, spreading, and cutting in every four or five boards until the deck is finished. Keeping a wet edge prevents overlap marks. Let the finish dry for two days before walking on it.

After nine years of baking in the hot Texas sun, this redwood deck (above) was gray with mildew and oxidation. But after a day of cleaning, bleaching, and power-washing, followed by a new finish, the old deck looks as good as new (top).