How to Pressure Wash & Stain
- 1). Brush off any large debris like twigs and leaves from the surface using a broom.
- 2). Hook up your garden hose to the pressure washer. The water from the hose will flow into the machine, become pressurized and come out with a strong force.
- 3). Attach a tip to the output hose on the pressure washer. Use a 25-degree tip, usually green, for a forceful wash or a 40-degree tip, usually white, for a wash with medium pressure. If you are working with a soft wood, use a 40-degree tip. The harder the pressure, the more likely the wood will be damaged.
- 4). Turn the water on so it flows through the garden hose and into the machine. Turn the machine on and aim the output hose at the wood. Push the button to let the water out and wash the wood with a sweeping motion. Do not linger on any spot or it can create a dent in the wood. Work in areas about 2 feet wide until the entire surface has been cleaned.
- 5). Allow the surface to dry. This will take less than an hour on a hot, dry day.
- 6). Open your can of stain and dip a rag into the stain. Make sure it is wet but not dripping.
- 7). Wipe the rag across the wood, first working against the grain and then with it.
- 8). Rub the wood with a clean, dry rag to pick up any excess stain. Allow the stain to dry overnight.
- 9). Repeat the staining the next day if it isn't as dark as you want.
