Woodworker's Journal 2004 Summer, страница 38

Patio Furniture Spruce-up

"If you own a pressure washer; now's the time to haul it out and prove to your spouse that you really did need to buy it."

By Michael Dresdner

In spring, a young man's fancy turns to thoughts of ... refurbishing the deck and patio furniture. That may not be so poetic, but it's a darned good idea to redo your deck every year, and the patio furniture every few years. Yearly upkeep is simple, and involves only cleaning and recoating, but let it go too long and the deck becomes an unsightly mess that is a real chore to restore. This column will take you through the process of cleaning the wood, then sealing both the deck and the furniture on it.

Cleaning and Washing

The first step for the deck, its railings and stairs, and even the furniture that sat out on it all winter, is to clean it. After a year of exposure, there will be dirt to be removed and, if you live in a wet climate, you might also have

mildew. The bane of exterior wood, mildew is a slippery black or green fungus that looks like a tenacious layer of ground-in dirt. You can buy special mildew removers at the home store, or mix your own by adding a quart of fresh laundry bleach (like Clorox®) to a gallon of water.

Killing Mildew

Bleach can kill plants, so before you start, wet down the lawn and shrubbery below or around the deck with a mist of clean water. If possible, cover them with thin plastic film while you work, but remove it as soon as you finish the cleaning process. Plants will wilt quickly under plastic in the hot sun. When you remove the film, mist the plants again. Wash off any surface dirt or leaves with the garden hose nozzle

set to full throttle. Flood the bleach mixture onto the still wet wood with a synthetic fiber mop, floor pad, or brush. (Bleach breaks down natural fibers.) It will kill mildew and remove its distinctive color almost immediately, so there is no waiting time. Afterwards, rinse the wood well with the hose.

Removing the Dirt

Once the mildew is gone, what's left is good old-fashioned dirt. I like to use TSP or the more environmentally friendly TSP substitute to remove the grime, but you can find special deck cleaning compounds in the deck coating aisle at your building supply store. All are safe for the existing finish, but strong enough to do the job. Mix according to the

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Outdoor Projects Summer 2004 £