Power Washing Clapboard Siding

Wood siding cleaner plastic sheeting.

Power washing clapboard siding.

As an experiment rub a clean white cloth across the unwashed siding. Much faster with a wood product. Depending on how much pressure you use and the width. Although washing wood with a spray washer is usually enough you should be prepared to go over some areas with a scraper or sandpaper.

Wet siding and apply cleaning solution. There are many ways to apply the cleaning solution from using a nylon brush and bucket to a pressure pump sprayer to a pressure washer. Yes water under pressure and shot out of a nozzle at high velocity will cut thru just about anything given a long enough time span. Steps for washing cedar clapboards.

Manual cleaning is preferred. Step 1 though far gentler than a pressure washer pivotpro is broadly similar in the sense that it releases a steady directed stream of water. The hard spray of water from the power washer can damage the surface of the siding. The steps we use for cleaning are simple they are.

Use a lower strength washer some commercial pressure washers are way too powerful to be used on an old wood house. Wait until the siding is thoroughly dry then look for areas that did not clean up as well as you expected. Scrub siding best practice. In fact pressure washing fiber cement siding is one of the only ways you can damage this durable type of siding.

3 that powerwash driven spray or jet of water will get driven thru any existing cracks fissures or just nail holes not to mention gaps between clapboard courses as well as shingles. Rinse the siding using the pressure. Insert the detergent tip which is often black into the pressure washer wand and apply detergent as needed. I prefer a 1500 psi pressure washer.

Wetting siding and applying soap. Clean these areas separately to give the siding that finishing touch. That will result in excessive moisture residing in between the back or surface facing the sheathing wall shingles or clapboard and the housewrap. Even after pressure washing you may still find that a thin layer of dirt remains on the siding.

Wash the siding area with the pressure washer. Pressure washer damaged wood photo by jon chapman. They may be perfect for cleaning driveways but they will blast right through wood siding especially if there is any wood rot. Instead use a soft cloth and soft bristle brush to clean your siding as needed.