Timber cladding, or siding, looks fantastic. It doesn’t matter whether you’ve opted for the traditional look, a colored board, or a weathered texture.
But, in order to keep your timber cladding looking this good, you need to clean it regularly.
Why Cleaning Is Important
The most obvious reason to clean your timber cladding is when you’re ready to apply a new coat of paint or stain, this helps to protect the wood from a wide variety of pests and ensures it last longer. A well looked after timber cladding product should last for 20 years or more.
Of course, cleaning is not just a necessity when you’re ready to re-stain your timber cladding. It is also a good idea to keep fungal growth and pests away from your wood. The better you look after your timber cladding the longer it will last.
How Often You Should Clean It
You know you need to clean your timber cladding and allow it to fully dry before you stain or paint it. But, you’ll probably only re-stain it every 2-3 years.
You’ll want to clean your wood cladding at least once a year, this will remove the stains and dirt which can run the look of your home.
Providing you follow the procedure below there is no reason why you can’t clean your timber cladding more often than this.
The Cleaning Process
The first thing to do is to speak to a professional, such as Peter Bracey. They will be able to help you select the best timber cleaning product for your type of cladding. It’s important to do this before you start cleaning!
Timber cladding cleaning products are designed to get rid of mold, dirt, and other contaminants that will ruin the look of your cladding. They are also effective at removing signs of grey timber, this is wood that has died thanks to exposure to all the elements, a natural process.
Once you have your timber cleaning product you can get the pressure washer out and get to work. You should always pressure wash from the top down, if you don’t you’re simply washing dirt onto the parts you’ve just cleaned!
It’s a good idea to pressure wash the house once before applying the timber cleaner. This will need to be applied in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions but you should be able to spray it on.
Once it has had the opportunity to soak in and do its job, you can pressure wash the walls a second time.
Then all you need to do is leave the timber cladding to dry.
It is important to note that if you’re doing this in readiness for re-staining then you should let the timber dry completely before you paint or stain. Failing to do this will trap moisture in your wood which could lead to early rot. That’s not a desirable outcome.
Don’t forget, looking after your timber cladding will help to ensure it lasts for many years.