How to Treat Redwood Decks

Clean your deck monthly and seal it annually.

Redwood decks provide a strong, bold accent to a home. Treating a redwood deck involves regular cleaning and sealing to keep the wood from decaying. Wood absorbs liquid, leaving the timber swollen and rotting. Removing dirt from the wood and sealing the deck keep grime and water from invading the porous material and discoloring and damaging the wood. Treat your redwood deck properly so it can remain looking up to date.

Things You'll Need

• Broom
• Laundry detergent
• Bucket
• Garden hose
• Scrub brush
• Shop broom
• Water sealer
• Pump sprayer

Instructions

1. Remove chairs, plants and other items from the redwood deck. Sweep dirt from the deck with a broom.

2. Spray the deck with a garden hose, saturating the wood.

3. Mix 1 tbsp. of laundry detergent into a bucket of water. Pour a portion of the cleaning solution over the back area of the deck and sweep with the broom, loosening embedded dirt and grime. For stains on the deck, scrub with a stiff-bristle brush. Continue pouring the cleaning solution on the deck and sweeping with the broom, washing the surface, including railings and steps.

4. Rinse the deck with the garden hose. Start at the back of the deck, spraying the cleaning solution and moving it forward so it drips over the front.

5. Push standing water from the deck with a shop broom so the deck dries faster. Allow the deck to dry completely before sealing.

6. Pour water sealer into a pump sprayer. Starting in a back corner of the deck, spray the sealer over the wood. Keep the nozzle of the sprayer 3 to 4 inches from the deck and spray with a wide sweeping action. Saturate the deck completely with the water sealer. Avoid walking on the sealer for 24 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Clean your redwood deck monthly or whenever you notice a layer of dirt on the surface.

• Seal your deck yearly. If water absorbs into the wood instead of beading up, seal it twice a year, once in the spring and once in the fall.

References

• Don Vandervort's Home Tips: Refinishing a Wood Deck
• Ask The Builder: Deck Cleaning and Sealing