INDIANAPOLIS — Pat Sullivan from Sullivan Hardware and Garden demonstrated the steps to cleaning and sealing outdoor wooden surfaces on 13Sunrise.
Outdoor wooden surfaces will look better and last longer if they are periodically maintained and treated.
For cleaning, Sullivan used a bleach-based detergent that he applied with a pressure pump sprayer. "And then you let it sit for about ten minutes," he said. Rather than trusting that the cleaner will totally purge the dirt and mildew from the wood, Sullivan also used a scrub brush to loosen the built-up material from the wood.
After letting the wood dry "for at least a day or so," Sullivan said the next step is to apply a stain or sealer.
To protect the wood, "You need three things," Sullivan said. "You need something - a water-proofer. You need a UV stabilizer because it's the sun that causes a lot of damage, and a mildicide and something for the mold."
You want to avoid sealers that only have one of the three ingredients.
During the first application, lay the sealer on thick and let it soak into the wood, because more penetration means better protection. Once given the chance to penetrate, a paint roller can be used to evenly spread the excess puddles over the whole surface.
Watch Sullivan's full Sunrise segment in the video player.