Pressure washing a deck may seem like a simple task, but in reality there are a number of things to remember.
Trying to pressure wash your deck without the right equipment and the proper knowledge can lead to costly or even irreparable damage to your surfaces.
It is best to hire a professional service that has the expertise required to avoid expensive mistakes.
But how much does it cost to pressure wash a deck? The average deck cleaning service prices will fluctuate slightly from location to location. It really comes down to size and what the current market rate in your area looks like.
Let’s discuss the deck pressure washing process, factors that will affect the cost of deck washing services, and what customers should be expecting to pay for these services.
What Is The Deck Pressure Washing Process?
Prepare Your Site
To start, clear anything and everything off of your deck including furniture, plants, carpets and other loose items.
Next, take a soft-bristle broom and sweep away any debris that remains on the deck. Do your best to get into all corners, crevices and other nooks for a nice clean site to work on.
Apply Your Deck Cleaner
Depending on the state of your deck, you may want to apply some sort of deck cleaner whether it is a chemical stripper or brightener.
If your deck only has a light layer of dirt that needs to be cleaned, this step can be skipped. For decks with heavy staining and mildew build up, a cleaning solution may be necessary.
Mix your solution as directed by the chemical label and fill your pressure washer’s detergent dispenser with the mixture. Apply your cleaner in the same way that you would wash with plain water, moving steadily back and forth until completely covered. Be sure to find a product that is meant for the type of wood you are cleaning.
Rinse Off With Your Pressure Washer
Whether you are rinsing off deck cleaner from the previous step or simply doing your water-only pressure wash, it is important to have the right nozzle equipped and to find the right pressure setting.
Use a wide fan tip that has a fan spread of about 40 to 60 degrees. Tips that are more narrow will concentrate the water flow and increase risk of damaging the surface you are working on.
For soft wood like pine or cedar, your pressure washer should be set somewhere between 500 and 600 PSI (pounds per square inch). Harder woods can tolerate more pressure, but a rule of thumb is to be sure not to exceed 1200 PSI. Exceeding this number could result in damage to your surfaces.
Clean your deck in a sweeping motion, from the house outward. Start with the wand tip a few feet away from the deck surface and then adjust your distance as needed.
Do not get any closer than about six inches or you will again risk damaging the wood. If you used a deck cleaner of some kind, make sure you have thoroughly rinsed the deck so that there is absolutely no detergent left on the surface.
Factors That Affect The Cost Of Deck Cleaning
The total cost to power wash a deck can vary based on a number of factors.
Prices will be affected most by certain characteristics of the job at hand. Let’s discuss these and shed some light on the reason for these cost discrepancies.
Surface Area Of The Deck
The most obvious and influential factor that will affect the cost of a deck power washing job is the total surface area that needs to be cleaned.
This will include the deck itself, banisters or balustrades on the perimeter, and any other fixtures in the area. Larger decks, especially ones with multiple levels, will be significantly more expensive to have cleaned than a smaller deck with less surface area.
Condition Of The Deck
The second and often just as important factor that affects the cost of a deck power washing job is the overall condition of the deck and its parts. If your deck is heavily stained or has taken on excessive mold and mildew build up, this will increase the job’s quote price significantly.
These decks will likely require an initial layer of deck cleaner solution to be sprayed before rinsing in order to be properly cleaned. As a result, this will increase material cost, as well as labor costs for the extra time being spent on a deep cleaning.
Decks that are in better condition will usually only need a single round of water-only pressure washing to be cleaned.
This will eliminate the extra material cost, as well as trim the total labor hours cost as well. Evaluate the condition of your deck in order to get an idea of how much a pressure washing job will cost.
How Much Does It Cost To Pressure Wash A Deck?
The cost to pressure wash a deck will vary from job to job and location to location. The national average in terms of material cost for a deck cleaning is about 10 cents per square foot.
The labor cost is an average of about 51 cents per square foot. Therefore, an average 300 square foot deck would cost, on average, $153 to have pressure washed.
Conclusion
One of the more popular areas of a residence for which homeowners hire pressure washing teams is their deck.
These jobs can vary in price due to a number of factors including the total square footage and the overall condition of the deck.
These aspects of a pressure washing job quote have been discussed, as well as how they will affect the cost in general. We have also provided an average cost on these jobs so that customers know what they will be expected to pay, and new business owners know what they can charge.
Finally, we were also able to provide a step by step breakdown of the deck pressure washing process.
Consider what we have discussed and apply it to your own pressure washing affairs, whether you are a potential customer or a developing business.
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