Deck in a Day

Click here to go to our standard page on decks  

What would be better than being able to wake up on a Saturday morning and head outside to wash and protect your deck in a single day?

Well, a lot of things would be better than that, but in comparison to the normal way of protecting your deck (washing, scrubbing, power washing, letting it dry for 3 - 4 days or longer before applying your protector) being able to accomplish all of that in a single day would seem almost too good to be true.

However, while it may seem too good to be true, it actually is something that you can accomplish.  You can get up on a Saturday morning and six hours later (or less) be admiring your finished work just before you drive out to the golf course for an afternoon round or two.

And it's simple.  Simply stop out at RepcoLite and we'll get you set up with all the right supplies--generally under $100 for a normal deck--and you'll be ready to start.

STEP ONE:  Clean the Deck

First start with the deck cleaner.  We recommende Wolman's DeckBrite cleaner.  This cleaner will clean and brighten your deck, removing UV damaged, gray wood fibers, ground-in dirt and stains resulting from mildew or algae.  It's safe to use--an oxygen bleach-based formula which, unlike chlorine bleach, will not harm plants, damage the wood or leave a bleached-out look.  In addition, it's extremely fast-acting.  It loosens and lifts dirt, stains and discoloration from the wood in about 10 minutes or less. 

So go ahead and mix Wolman's DeckBrite cleaner according to the label directions and apply it to your deck.  It will start to foam and after about 10 minutes of foaming, scrub over it with the Wolman DeckBrush--a heavy duty scrub brush that will help to work the cleaner into the wood.

After you've scrubbed the deck, simply rinse it with a high-pressure nozzle on a hose.  Now, if you can get your hands on a power washer (we rent them if you need one), you'll have better results.  But even if you can't get a power washer, the DeckBrite cleaner is so strong that you'll still achieve good results just using a garden hose.

So either with a power washer or a hose, rinse the deck and then broom off or squeegee off any of the excess water.

STEP TWO:  Let it Dry (for a few minutes) 

After you've removed the excess water from the deck, give it about an hour or so in the sun to dry.  Now, with a normal, oil-based deck protector, you would be told to wait 3 - 4 good drying days before even thinking about applying a coating.  That waiting process can be frustrating because often, we get rain part way through and that requires you to wait another 3 - 4 good drying days.

With Wolman's Raincoat as your top coat, since it is a water-based product, it can be applied to your deck even though it's a little damp.  (In fact--keep this in mind for other projects--Raincoat can be applied even to a brand new deck).

At any rate, let the standing water dry from the deck for an hour or so and then get ready to coat the deck.

STEP THREE:  Apply the Raincoat

After the deck has dried for an hour or so, it's time to apply the Raincoat protector.  This is a one-coat system and you should probably start with the railings.  Either spray the railings with the Wolman Backsaver Sprayer and then back brush it, or apply the Raincoat with a brush.

Once you've got the railings coated, apply the product to the floor of the deck.  We recommend using a Floor and Trim Pad Applicator.  This tool can be attached to an extension pole and basically will serve as a mop by which you can apply the coating to one or two boards at a time.  Work the product over those boards, running the length of the deck, back and forth, completely coating the board before moving on to the next.

Continue in this manner until the deck's done and that's it.

The coating will dry in a few hours and can tolerate light foot traffic shortly after that.  Within 24 hours you can be using your deck as you usually would. 

Conclusion

Wolman Raincoat comes in 3 colors and a clear and is an ideal solution if you want to get your deck looking great in just a few short hours.  Stop out at RepcoLite and talk with any of our experts and we'll get you set with everything you need to complete your project in a single day and still have time to have fun later in the afternoon!