Decks Need to be Cleaned and Sealed
By: richlevi | Posted: 29th May 2008
Richard Levisee of Richards Home Repair a Wolman certified contractor said that Morning dew, rainwater and melting ice or snow are quickly absorbed by unprotected wood, causing it to soften and swell. Direct exposure to the sun's heat causes drying, which makes wood shrink. Continuous cycles of wet and dry, swelling and shrinking, cause wood to warp, split, crack and check - all of which can and will lead to premature wood degradation and expensive repairs.
Unprotected wood is also subject to surface graying caused by constant exposure to the sun's ultra-violet rays. Persistent moisture exposure creates ripe conditions for the growth of mildew, mold, algae and other fungal organisms that feed on wood, eventually spreading across and staining the surface. Termites and other wood boring insects also use wood for a food source, causing ultimate wood rot and decay.
Exterior wood care involves just two (2) simple steps: restore and protect. To protect exterior wood from water and weather damage, You can rely on premium performance from Wolman Wood Care Products to properly restore, prepare, protect and beautify your valued investments in outdoor wood decks. Wolman has a DeckBrite Wood Cleaner to clean and restore decks and other weathered wood, or to prepare new wood surfaces before sealing or staining. Its oxygen activated, safe to use formula is ideal for wood decks, fences and all other exterior wood structures.
Always read and follow product label directions. This may seem obvious, but technical service call reports prove that many people get quite far along into a project without reading label instructions, and often cause themselves unnecessary grief and re-work. Even if you've successfully completed many similar jobs before, always read the label instructions to make sure you've chosen the right product for the outcome you want, and are using the right tools and procedures to prepare the surface, apply the product and clean-up afterward.
Always perform a sample brush-out before begining a job. To ensure the products you've chosen to protect and beautify your wood give you the exact finished look you expect, always do a brush-out in an inconspicuous spot, and observe how the product appears after it has dried. Many colored finishes are formulated to bind vigorously to your wood in order to give you years of long-lasting performance --these same products will not be easily removed if you decide the color is not as appealing to you as you originally thought. Furthermore, in-store color cards and brochures can give you good approximations of color, but cannot duplicate exactly how a product will look on your particular wood's species and age - only you can through experimentation
Once you've built, installed and protected your new wood structure with a water repellent coating, make sure to clean the wood and re-apply the coating every two to three years. Daily exposure to UV rays and precipitation will eventually wear away the coating's surface layer, thus making it necessary to re-apply periodically. To determine if that time has come, splash water on several sections of the wood, and observe how the droplets react. If they bead or puddle, repellency is still active, if they absorb rapidly, another coating is recommended. Generally speaking, the more water and sun exposure, the more frequent the need to re-apply, but you can count on a minimum two seasons of water repellency on horizontals, and up to 4 years of repellency on verticals depending on the product that you use.
For more Information about wood care call or e-mail Richard at 501-416-4638 rlevisee@yahoo.com www.richardshomerepair.com
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Tags: right tools, rainwater, wood rot, food source, wood decks, weather damage, wood surfaces, ultra violet rays, morning dew, mildew mold, melting ice