Deck & Fence Cleaning in Everett, WA

Pressure is what ruins decks

Almost every wrecked deck we are called to look at was wrecked by a pressure washer. Wood is soft, and softwood is very soft — a pressure washer held too close, or held still for a moment too long, tears the surface fibres apart. The result is furring: a fuzzy, raised, splintery surface that feels rough underfoot and, worse, now holds far more water than it did before.

It is not recoverable by cleaning. Fixing a furred deck means sanding the whole thing back, which is a different project with a different budget.

So we clean wood at genuinely low pressure and let the solution do the work — the same principle as roof and house washing. It takes longer than blasting it and the result is a deck that still has an intact surface.

Different materials, different jobs

Cedar

Beautiful, soft, and the easiest to damage. Weak solution, very low pressure, thorough rinse. Cedar also has natural tannins that can bleed and darken if the wrong cleaner is used.

Pressure-treated pine and fir

The most common deck material here and more tolerant than cedar, though still wood. Tends to grey heavily and come back dramatically.

Composite (Trex and similar)

Will not rot, but the textured surface grows mildew in its grain readily — often more visibly than real wood. Cleans chemically, and must not be pressure washed: the boards scar and the marks are permanent.

Hardwood (ipe and similar)

Dense and durable, but expensive enough that mistakes hurt. Low pressure, careful chemistry.

Vinyl and metal fencing

Straightforward. The interest is in the algae film on the shaded side rather than the material itself.

Cleaning is the step before sealing

If you are planning to stain or seal, the clean is not optional preparation — it is most of the outcome. Sealer applied over a biological film seals the film in, which is why a deck can be freshly stained and still look patchy and grey within a season.

The other half is moisture. Wood that looks dry on the surface holds water well below it, and sealer applied to damp wood will not penetrate; it sits on top, then peels. After a wash, wood needs a real drying window before anything goes on it — typically a couple of dry days, and in Everett that means watching the forecast rather than the calendar.

We do not stain or seal. But we will tell you honestly when the deck is ready for it, which is more useful than a guess.

What drives the price

Square footage of deck surface and linear feet of fence, then material and condition. Railings and balusters are the hidden cost on a deck — a simple square deck with plain railings is far quicker than the same area with turned balusters and lattice, because every one of those is hand detail.

Fences are priced by run, and both sides costs more than one. Heavily greyed or long-neglected wood needs more dwell time than something cleaned two years ago.

Questions we get asked