Wood decks and stairs
Deck Cleaning & Restoration
Grey, slick, algae-lined boards cleaned back to the grain by Ray's crew of veterans and National Guard members, across Marietta and ten more towns.
Why a wood deck goes grey, slick and green in a Georgia summer
Wood turns grey because sun and rain break down lignin at the surface, the part that carries the color. What's left is a silvery layer of loose fibers. That's weathering, and it happens to every unsealed deck, whether it's in Marietta or anywhere else.
Georgia humidity adds the second problem. Boards that stay damp under tree cover grow algae, which turns the surface green-black and slick, and it's worst on the stairs and the shaded edge along the railings.
Neither is the same as rot. Grey and algae are surface problems. A board that gives under a screwdriver is a structural one that no wash can fix, and you'll want to know about it before anyone stands on it.
Weathered grey deck boards with green algae on the left and cleaned honey-brown pine on the right, still damp
Cleaning that brings back the grain without tearing it up
Wood is soft. Too much pressure, or a tip held too close, gouges the surface, raises the grain into fuzz and leaves lap marks that show for years. Good deck cleaning is mostly restraint: working with the grain, board by board, and rinsing the stairs and railings the same as the floor.
Ray's second published value is hard work: “We'll take your pressure washing service very seriously. We understand commitment and the importance of fulfilling a task to the highest standard.” On a deck that standard is easy to check. The grey and the algae are gone, honey-brown wood shows through, and the boards still feel like boards.
Tell Ray the age of the deck and what's growing on it when you call (678) 203-2912. The crew carries $1 million in liability insurance, and his philosophy is that “this extreme care and respect will extend to your property and surroundings,” which includes the house wall and plants next to the boards.
Drying time, the sealing question and keeping the boards clean
A cleaned deck needs to dry before anything goes on it, because wood holds water and sealer over damp boards traps it. How long that takes depends on sun, shade and humidity. Boards under a Marietta pine canopy take longer than boards in open sun.
Whether to seal is a conversation worth having on the phone. Sealer slows the greying and the algae, and it also wears and needs redoing. Bring up the deck's age and how much shade it gets and decide from there.
After that, the upkeep is small: sweep off the needles, don't let leaf piles sit damp on the boards, and move planters that trap water. If the job isn't what you expected, you will receive 100% of your money back. No questions asked.
Soldiers Elite Pressure Cleaning, Marietta, GA: $1 million in liability insurance and a 100% money-back guarantee. Call (678) 203-2912.
Grade your deck
Three conditions a board can be in
Silver-grey and dry
Surface weathering. The loose grey layer comes off and the color underneath returns. Sealer is what slows it coming back.
Green, dark and slick
Algae and mildew. Treat it as a slip hazard first, starting with the stairs and the shaded edge by the rail.
Soft under a screwdriver
Rot. Cleaning can't fix it. Mention it when you call so the quote matches the deck you have.