Most modern designers prefer to use timber cladding due to its beautiful contribution to both interior and exterior facades. Timber is stylish, aesthetically pleasing, and has an overall Instagrammable design, that will provide great aesthetics for years if properly maintained and well-managed. While timber has the best qualities of being lightweight, versatile, and ecological, it is also easy to rejuvenate and restore. But let’s prevent that from happening by knowing the best ways to keep it clean always.
No natural product is entirely maintenance-free, including timber surfaces. It requires a minimum of a couple of days’ worth of upkeep each year, in terms of varnishes and oils. These can be used to preserve the wood or to add visual appeal with something like a beautiful Merbau decking oil.
So, here is a guide that you can benefit from in under 5 minutes, to help you deal with cleaning up your timber cladding.
Prepare the needed materials.
You don’t need expensive tools to do this, as some of the materials you’ll need are right underneath your kitchen sink. It’s at your discretion if you want to buy specially formulated timber cleaning agents to remove mold and dirt quicker or more effectively, but there are household products that you can use.
You may be needing a bucket with a mop that you can extend to cover hard-to-reach areas and deep corners. Or you may opt for a ladder to have a better assurance of the coverage you’ve done. You can also you a pressure washer to make things easier and get things done faster if you have one or if you have a budget to hire such equipment. It could be the most effective thing to remove all the grim embedded on the surfaces over time.
Get into the deed
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If you are to use the traditional way of using the mop-and-bucket method, you can jump into washing straight up. Use slightly warm water to aid your cleaning efforts, but never hot. If you decide on using special timber cleaning agents, such as a deck cleaner, make sure you have read and understood the instructions that go with it.
The ratio of water is of utmost importance as anything too strong could damage the appearance of your timber. Another cleaning issue that you should control is the pressure should you use with a pressure washer. You will have to do a patch test before to ensure the pressure is not too high to induce any damage. Proceed with caution. Then once you get it right, you will be able to finish in no time and you will begin to see the benefits and beauty of your whole new surface. Pressure washers leave no dirt in between cracks and tiny crevices in which a massive build-up happens.
Treat it well.
Purchasing pre-treated wooden cladding is highly advisable as it will last longer. It preserves its durability and overall quality. Though, it doesn’t stop at cleaning surfaces of pre-treated wood. Once it completely dries out, you will need to apply a protective sealant to make it stand the harmful rays of the sun and the harsh conditions that involve water. Extreme weather conditions are always the main culprit of timber decaying or wearing out. Remember that these protective coatings come in different formulas so don’t avoid checking the tin to see its directions for use. Commonly, two coats are enough.
Take note that these tips are for smaller buildings and surfaces. For high-rise buildings and commercial properties, seeking professional services is the best advice we could give you.
