Confused?

[tlc]

New guy just doing some practice! Explain to me can you use chemicals on a weathered deck that has turn grey without any sealant or is it just a waisted step and you should just use a cleaner/brightner. Or should a guy just play it safe and go ahead with the chemicals(Sodium hypoclorite)

 

[CaroliProWash]

New guy just doing some practice!

Hi New Guy just doing practice (good for you!)

Explain to me can you use chemicals on a weathered deck that has turn grey without any sealant or is it just a waisted step and you should just use a cleaner/brightner.

A cleaner/brightener is a chemical since the brightening comes from oxalic acid. Unless you are using a sodium percarbonate cleaner, which is just a diffferent form of bleach.

Or should a guy just play it safe and go ahead with the chemicals(Sodium hypoclorite)

What you use will depend partly on what your intentions are afterward. I'm assuming (I know, bad thing to assume) that you are going to practice staining afterward. There is an ongoing debate about bleach (sodium hypochlorite) on wood. It is more aggressive than sodium percarbonate and will therefore open the pores of the wood up more. You will still need to neutralize with a brightener (oxalic or citric) afterward to return the wood to it's natural pH so it can be stained. Be very careful not to get your bleach mixed with your oxalic - it's a very dangerous combination. You may want to do a search using words like "bleach", "oxalic", or "percarb". There are lots of threads that can add much more than this nutshell response

Give a call anytime - most times I talk better than I type or at least I don't get as misunderstood!

Celeste

 

[5 Star Johnny]

Wood cleaners/brighteners are chemicals! So is Bleach! You're not going to get weathered wood clean without them, unless your intention is to blast with high pressure.

We are not a proponent of using bleach on ANYTHING, especially wood. Do some more research on wood restoration and keep practicing.

Good Luck!