Should You Pressure Wash Wood Siding

Don t pressure wash shingle siding the pressure can knock the shingles loose.

Should you pressure wash wood siding.

True most pressure washers are powerful enough to take off paint but for best results stripping should be a separate step done with a scraper sander or heat gun after the process of washing. But there is good reason not to powerwash a wood sided exterior. 1st cedar is a relatively soft wood. Pressure washing can also remove many stains but care must be taken.

The jet of a pressure washer can actually damage the wood. Harder woods may tolerate more pressure but you should not go higher than 1 200 psi. The tip you choose is important to avoid damage to the siding. Wood siding can benefit from a pressure wash as the grit that accumulates can be totally removed.

Power washing out your gutters each season is required because it allows water to freely flow from the roof down the pipes and out through the storm drains. Whether it is white or red cedar or clapboard or even alaskan yellow cedar it is still wood has longitudinal pores running its length from butt to feathered edge on a shingle as well as on cedar clapboard. Pressure washer safety pressure washers come with nozzles ranging from 0 degrees to about 40 degrees. Wood siding fix or repair.

Connect the pressure washer to a water source such as a garden hose. Why you should pressure wash your gutters. Use the lowest possible pressure that is still effective. If the gutters and down spouts are plugged the water will start to flood your yard when it rains.

If you have a wood frame house with any kind of wood siding clapboards shiplap board and batten shingles etc there is an excellent chance that washing your house with a high pressure washer will shoot water up under the siding potentially soaking wall cavities insulation wiring flooring plaster etc. From there water can damage insulation electrical wiring and can spur mold growth. The grit can cause damage as the wood moves with the wind and the changes in temperature. I can assume there is instant dissent with the title of this story.

Make sure to use an environmentally friendly cleaning concentrate that is safe for siding landscapes windows and sidewalks. Choose the appropriate pressure setting and spray tip for your application. Insert the yellow tip in the pressure washer wand. After checking for all possible exterior home damage knowing what to look out for and starting on a minimal pressure level from a safe distance you will be ready to power wash your vinyl siding.

While it s possible to wash wood siding correctly there s also a good chance that water will find its way up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure.