How many psi do I need to clean my deck so I can stain it?

Answer 1

A 3200 psi sprayer should do nicely. Don't use the pin-point spray-tip though. It will rip the wood fiber the same way a putty knife does. The 15 degree tip is about as narrow as you need.

More important than psi is letting the cleaner you apply soak into the algae etc. you want to get rid of. Apply it in the morning to avoid the drying from direct sunlight. Give it time to work.

Answer 2

A 1200 psi will work fine. don't get the nozzle too close to wood or you will cut " patterns " that stain won't cover. good luck!
1200 psi is the ground floor of pressure washers, if you are not afraid of wood damage, rent a larger machine, but take care.

Answer 3

Let the cleaner do the work. A scrub brush on a handle will remove the dirt without forcing water into the wood. Then rinse with a garden hose. Let completely dry and then stain.

Answer 4

The best thing to clean your deck is bleach and water Use one part bleach to 5 parts water. You can use any psi to rinse it off afterwords but it needs to be cleaned first.

Answer 5

You don't want to use a pressure washer on your deck. Doing this will close the grains of the wood and won't stain as well.

Answer 6

You don't realy need to worry about the PSI, just keep enough distance. If you get to close you will create splinters in your wood.
good luck