Unpainted wood siding is considered by many to be the gold standard of cladding materials. It adds a natural charm to any home, infusing the house with a timeless appeal that is almost impossible to replicate with any other material. But like virtually every other exterior building material wood siding will need periodic maintenance in order to look its best and last as long as possible.
Here at Majestic we often get asked if pressure washing wood is the best way to clean it, or indeed if it’s even possible to pressure wash wood siding. The good news is that it is possible, but it must be done the right way in order to avoid damaging your precious wood cladding. Below we’ll take a comprehensive look at the issue.
Why Pressure Wash Wood Siding?
A pressure wash is not the only way to clean wood siding but when done right by qualified professionals it is clearly the best way. The infographic below outlines six potential benefits of pressure washing wood siding.
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Pressure Washing Safety Precautions
If you decide to try and power wash your wood siding yourself, it’s essential to take the following safety precautions to ensure neither you nor the wood winds up getting damaged.
Keeping kids and pets at a safe distance
If you have young children and/or pets make sure they stay in the house away from you while you’re working. The water coming out of the power washer is under extreme pressure and if they get caught in the stream they could get seriously hurt.
Choosing the right nozzle for the job
High-pressure water emitted from a narrow nozzle has the potential to damage your wood siding. Instead, use a wide nozzle of at least 25-40 degrees. This will result in a slightly gentler spray that will reduce the odds of damaging the wood.
Protect your plants
Before you start the pressure washer make sure you spend some time covering up shrubs, flowers and other fragile living things near the house. Also, make sure you’ve covered any outdoor outlets to prevent high-pressure water from getting inside and causing a short.
Don’t overdo it with the water pressure
When cleaning wood siding it’s recommended to use a pressure setting between 500 and 1,200 PSI. Any less than that won’t do a thorough job. Any more than that could damage your wood siding.
Wearing the appropriate protective gear
High-pressure water coming in contact with dirty wood siding can cause all kinds of debris to go flying in all directions. For that reason, it’s essential that you wear safety goggles and gloves. You might also consider wearing a waterproof coat to avoid becoming soaked.
Common Pressure Washing Mistakes
The following are some common mistakes homeowners make when they try to pressure wash their wood siding:
- Spraying the water against the grain – You should always power wash in the direction of the wood grain. Applying high-pressure water against the grain could cause water to penetrate and undermine the integrity of the wood siding.
- Failing to inspect the wood siding before they begin – You should always inspect your wood siding before you begin to pressure wash. If there are loose or damaged boards they should be fixed before you start to wash. Failing to do so could result in the high-pressure water causing damage behind the siding.
- Not wearing eye protection – Attempting to pressure wash without using goggles is a bad idea. Something could be jarred loose from the siding and end up hitting your eye at high speed.
- Not rinsing after cleaning – If you used a detergent on the wood siding you’ll need to make sure you rinse the siding thoroughly to remove it all. Not removing it and letting it dry can cause discoloration in the wood panels.
For Expert Pressure Washing in Dix Hills, Contact Majestic
Wood siding will endow your home with a timeless look that can’t be achieved using any other material. But it will need to be properly maintained in order to look its best and stand the test of time. If you would like to have your wood siding pressure washed get in touch with Majestic Window & Exterior Cleaning by searching for “pressure washing services near me. Or call us at (631) 421-2295 or (516) 721-6503.