Maintenance & Cleaning
Maintenance
You can maintain your exterior wood finishes by checking them every year and repainting, caulking, and/or repairing as needed. On average, exterior wood must be painted or sealed every three years, in wet climates or costal areas, more often and in dryer climates less often. Long before the paint starts to look bad, the wood will have cracks, allowing water to penetrate the protective paint layer and saturate the wood. Painting typically requires spot scraping and sanding where old paint has lost its adhesion to the wood, a coat of primer and a finish coat of paint. Stains and sealants are less labor-intensive but still require that the wood be thoroughly cleaned before application. Additionally, you must repair any damage to the wood, from woodpeckers, rock hits from the mower and similar issues, quickly. Since most wood can rot and even rot resistant wood such as cedar need proper care, wood must be inspected several times a year.
Check the condition of the wood
Restaining wood
Repainting wood
Moisture Damage
When bare wood is exposed to the rain, ocean air and high humidity, the wood can be damaged from rot or swelling. Even end grain on wood and the edges of plywood need protection from the elements. Paint and sealants help lock out the moisture when applied properly. Long-term exposure to the elements can cause enough damage that the wood must be replaced, and for wood thats structural it can lead to structural damage.
Insect Invasions
Termites love wood and will attack it if they find a way in. Bare, exposed wood or rotted areas are open invitations for a termite attack. Other insects, such as ants and carpenter bees, also find wood an attractive place to nest. Regular maintenance, cleaning, and routine painting to keep the wood protected is a great start but a pest control treatment is needed. Depending on the type of wood, location, and climate, will call for different applications such as spraying on the wood, around the wood or even a digital system. Contact the local pest control expert or hardware store for the best available option.
Managing Rot
A cheaper, faster repair method is to dig out the rotted section, let it dry, then fill the area with epoxy, prime it and paint it. This type of repair works well when you’re if the rotted area is difficult to replace. Wood filler is an alternative but even exterior grade wood filler is porous and typically fails within twelve months. Using epoxy will give you better results. When the rot is extensive its better to simply replace that wood. If its painted wood, they replace the wood with rot resistant wood such as cedar. As long as your keep inspecting and keep up with the maintenane, rot shouldn’t occure.
Remove Mold from Wood
- Wear protective gear such as air mask, gloves, eye protection, etc.
- Vacuum the area to collect loose spores to prevent them from becoming airborn which can lead to future mold in other areas.
- To clean painted or stained wood use soap and water as the mold may not have penetrated the wood and is only on the surface of the paint. If the mold is harder to remove then you can apply some vinegar, then let the vinegar sit for an hour before cleaning. Use bleach on raw wood.
- Sand the area to eliminate residual mold, if necessary.
Cleaning
- Wash the wood surface with water to remove any dirt
- Using soap and water, spray it onto the wood and scrub using a brush or dip the brush into a bucket of soap and water then scrub the wood surface
- Wash the soap off
- Wipe the water to dry or let it air dry
Be aware that power washing is a science. If done incorrectly, it can damage the wood causing the wood to get water deep into the joints and cracks leading to rot. If power washing is needed, then always get a professional who can warranty the work and insure the wood won’t be damaged. If any are damaged, their insurance should pay for replacement. Always inspect the work after its complete, before issuing payment.