The fundamentals of wood restoration - Part 1/2

Even though we do not talk about it a lot, the Second Law of Thermodynamics has an impact on each other’s lives. Fundamentally, it means anything left on its own will surely begin to decline. Fortunately, we can retaliate through maintenance, like utilizing the process of restoring wood. Such processes can be avoided or perhaps even reverse the deterioration process. Oftentimes, it can practically restore the wood into its original condition.

Simply put, wood is a lot more vulnerable to its surroundings more than we know. Some of its main enemies include sunlight, temperature and time itself. These reactions on wood can come up with an array of unwanted outputs, like rotting, warping, mildew, splitting and accumulations of moss. But, utilizing some fundamental wood restoration processes can work wonders of several types of wood items.

Wood care and cleaning

Wood care and cleaning

The first part of this article will focus on the wood’s enemy.

Weather: The wood’s best enemy. While it is true that trees need sunlight, it can possess a huge impact on wood products. Say for example, Ultraviolet rays from the sun can produce a lignin in the wood that weakens it, thus making the fibers not intact.  To add, the sunlight can cause unwanted wood heating. Thus, one side can dry faster as compared to the side which does not have the direct heat of the sun.

Other weathering foes of wood are prevalent as well. In cold communities, cycles of thawing and freezing can cause added stress on wood, thus coming up with a need for restoration. Further, damp wood can attract fungal spores to stick themselves onto the wood and produce / "reproduce". Unluckily, pressure treatment of hood has minimal success in avoiding the accumulation of fungal spores.

Cleaning of Wood: The process wood to restore to its original aesthetic can incorporate several processes. These methods can vary from a basic pressure washing to an immensely complex method with the use of several steps and special chemicals. It is best recommended that novices only handle wood restoration responsibilities when the impact of weather is even and moderate. 

Pressure washing on exterior decking

Pressure washing on exterior decking

Fundamentals of Pressure Washing: If you eye on utilizing pressure wash to be able to restore wood, consider using specific techniques:

Begin from the bottom then work it out upwards.

1.      Stay away from using too much pressure.

2.      Wand along and shift the wood’s grain instead of shifting across.

3.      Keep the wand at similar angle to the ground.

4.      Maintain the distance similar from the nozzle to the ground.

5.      Dust away any remaining thin signs of dirt utilizing a soft brush.

6.      Utilize added treatment when wood seems to absorb water.

As day goes by, you will be able to know more about what to do and how to do about it. For example, you may look for barbecue grease on your deck. What do you want to make on it? You can apply automotive degreaser, or water-rinse method and a lot has utilized it to excellent results. Other specialized products for cleaning are prevalent. Basically, you spray them by applying a pressure washer to power rinse. These include stain removers, brighteners, and strippers.

Should chlorine bleach be utilized? Modern theory dictates bleach should not be utilized alone, but always in combination with proper detergent. It is a known fact that bleach can take away stain and avid mildew, but it is not an efficient cleaning element. Other type of stain such as rust that is bleach resistant reacts excellently to oxalic acid-based cleaners.