Dealing With raised Wood Fibers
The key with power washing a wood deck is to not ruin the wood and etch or erode the soft wood fibers. However, wood is wood and when wood gets wet, it raises the fibers creating a rough surface. This is especially a problem on handrails where the raised fibers = splinters.
You have a couple choices. One, if you did a great job with minimal damage and you just wanted to clean the deck, then you may be able to get away with a spot sanding here and there. Two, if you are going to refinish (re-stain or reseal) the deck, you need to sand it.
I know, I know, you don't want to. But trust me, it is not that hard and will result in smooth boards, little to no splintering, open wood pores so the wood soaks up the sealer / stain, and all kinds of good stuff.
When sanding, do not use too fine a grit sandpaper or the stain / sealer will not soak in easily. Follow these guidelines:
- For the handrail, use no higher than a 100 grit sandpaper;
- For the deck surface itself, use a 60-80 grit sandpaper;
- Use a random orbital sander with a 5" pad.
Random Orbital Sander
