Surface cleaners on decks

T

the_GUNN_man

New member
Do any of you use your surface cleaner on a deck? I wasn't sure how that would work. I always thought you should go with the grain and that would be impossible to do with a surface cleaner since it spins. I have a 30" Steel Eagle and have only used it on concrete. If I can use it on a deck what pressure should I use? The same as I would with the wand? Plus what height should I put it at? Mine is adjustable. I don't know anywhere I could practice on.
 
Although I have seen where others do this, I would not recommend this procedure. It would be difficult to prevent swirl marks and as you mentioned, it would be washing across the grain and arcing across the grain. I would have to see some more evidence that this is a correct process. In my ever so humble opinion, washing decks is somewhat of an art form. It takes skill and practice to get the proper result. I don't think it can be done with a surface cleaner. My two cents.
 
Very debatable subject where some believe it can be done and some don't.

I for one use my surface cleaners on decks alot. I figure the water psi to be hitting the deck from this machine has to be around 900psi per tip.

How do I figure that 900psi#??
My PW's are rated at 3000psi and when I check them at the machine they are putting out just about 3000psi. Now since I run at least 200' of PW hose to my surface cleaner the psi drops a couple of hundred to around 2700-2800psi.

Since my tips are around 3" from the surface on my surface cleaners this would mean to take lets say the 2700psi/3" = 900psi. I go by the formula of at 1" the psi hitting the surface is 3000psi,2" then psi is 1500, and 3" the psi is 900 etc. etc.

As for using the surface cleaners on a deck I will use it on at least 90% of the time on large decks that have large surfaces to be cleaned.

There's a technique to this that takes practice and once you master it then for me at least its a must to use because it cuts my job time down considerably.

For me not to use a surface cleaner on a deck would be the same as not to use it on concrete flat work.
THese surface cleaners are also advertised for deck use so what does that tell you?

But like I said it is a practice technique which could have much worse results then using it on a concrete surface it not used correctly.
 
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