Pressure Washing Old Wood Siding

Starting low and gently working your way up is the safest bet.

Pressure washing old wood siding.

Pressure washer safety pressure washers come with nozzles ranging from 0 degrees to about 40 degrees. Look for a product designed for brightening deck wood and for use in a pressure washer and make sure your pressure washer allows for the intake of cleaning solutions. Pressure washer damaged wood photo by jon chapman. Wood siding can benefit from a pressure wash as the grit that accumulates can be totally removed.

They may be perfect for cleaning driveways but they will blast right through wood siding especially if there is any wood rot. Master the proper technique and you can use a pressure washer to clean the wood siding on your home safely without incurring damage to the material. Bob vila interviews a contractor in the process of using a pressure washer to remove paint from exterior wood siding. If the wood is badly darkened or stained with mildew washing with a deck cleaning solution that includes sodium hydroxide can help brighten it.

A pressure washer can quickly ruin vinyl siding by cracking it with the high pressure stream of water so it s necessary to know which pressure level and nozzle to use. The grit can cause damage as the wood moves with the wind and the changes in temperature. While it s possible to wash wood siding correctly there s also a good chance that water will find its way up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure. A high powered pressure washer can also dent aluminum and vinyl siding.

Pressure washing can also remove many stains but care must be taken. Don t pressure wash shingle siding the pressure can knock the shingles loose. How to safely clean wood siding on a house. I prefer a 1500 psi pressure washer.

The exact procedures you will use depend on the condition of the old stain and the type of new stain that will be applied. Use a lower strength washer some commercial pressure washers are way too powerful to be used on an old wood house. For more on house painting visit. If you have a wood frame house with any kind of wood siding clapboards shiplap board and batten shingles etc there is an excellent chance that washing your house with a high pressure washer will shoot water up under the siding potentially soaking wall cavities insulation wiring flooring plaster etc.

There are several considerations before getting started.