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Belmont Resident · 05-10-2011, 05:15 AM

I’ve been pressure washing decks for years with no ill effects. It is the only way to remove mold & mildew as well as all the ground in dirt. Do not believe what others who do not do this for a living are saying. Yes it is recommended that you sand afterwards if needed.
I went to a contractors show and was told pressure washing was highly recommended on a brand new Mahogany deck to open the wood up so it will properly and evenly accept stain.
Now that being said I also do not recommend Mahogany decks because they generally require maintenance every year to keep them looking good. The exception being an enclosed porch as it does not see the weather. All of the products are changing and the new VOC laws are not helping. The new materials tend not to deter mold and mildew growth as well as the old ones did. I’ve tried many products and they all seem to have a life of one year before they loose their ability to repel water. Penofin marine oil seems to be the most durable but still you are looking at every 2 years max. If the deck is cracked and checked then nothing shy of a solid stain which will fill in the cracks will do anything to prevent it from getting worse.
Mahogany looks awesome and everybody loves that new look but it requires a lot of time and money to PROPERLY maintain it so that it retains that new look.
Good luck with it either way.
Oh and when applying any product, do not apply it in direct sunlight and I highly recommend doing it in the evening so that it has all night to be absorbed. Someone mentioned about it not drying. I had that happen to me and it was because the sun hit the surface before it had time to fully penetrate. Follow the directions and wipe up any extra oils sitting on the surface. Yes this means walking on the newly stained deck but it is necessary and will not affect the finished look.

05-10-2011, 05:15 AM	#10
Belmont Resident Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Belmont NH but prefer Jackman Maine Posts: 1,857 Thanks: 491 Thanked 410 Times in 251 Posts	deck advice I’ve been pressure washing decks for years with no ill effects. It is the only way to remove mold & mildew as well as all the ground in dirt. Do not believe what others who do not do this for a living are saying. Yes it is recommended that you sand afterwards if needed. I went to a contractors show and was told pressure washing was highly recommended on a brand new Mahogany deck to open the wood up so it will properly and evenly accept stain. Now that being said I also do not recommend Mahogany decks because they generally require maintenance every year to keep them looking good. The exception being an enclosed porch as it does not see the weather. All of the products are changing and the new VOC laws are not helping. The new materials tend not to deter mold and mildew growth as well as the old ones did. I’ve tried many products and they all seem to have a life of one year before they loose their ability to repel water. Penofin marine oil seems to be the most durable but still you are looking at every 2 years max. If the deck is cracked and checked then nothing shy of a solid stain which will fill in the cracks will do anything to prevent it from getting worse. Mahogany looks awesome and everybody loves that new look but it requires a lot of time and money to PROPERLY maintain it so that it retains that new look. Good luck with it either way. Oh and when applying any product, do not apply it in direct sunlight and I highly recommend doing it in the evening so that it has all night to be absorbed. Someone mentioned about it not drying. I had that happen to me and it was because the sun hit the surface before it had time to fully penetrate. Follow the directions and wipe up any extra oils sitting on the surface. Yes this means walking on the newly stained deck but it is necessary and will not affect the finished look.