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Deck Brighteners

What is a Deck Brightener and Why Use One

Wood care and maintenance are the keys to having a long lasting deck. Every year or two a deck should be cleaned and stained to protect the wood from the harsh elements. UV rays and unwanted moisture can wreak havoc on a deck that is unprotected. The number one reason a deck stain fails is due to the lack of proper wood preparation. Any exterior wood surface needs to be cleaned and prepped correctly in order for the stain to perform as expected. Failure to do so can lead to premature stain failure jeopardizing the wood’s integrity.

To properly clean and prep a deck it starts with a wood cleaner. A sodium percarbonate based oxygenated cleaner is recommended. This type of wood cleaner has been proven to work the best in removing dirt, mold, mildew, wood graying, and in some cases an old failing sealer. It is highly important to remove all of these pollutants in order for the new stain to penetrate properly.

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Why Use a Wood Deck Brightener

Deck Brightener Before After

Wood deck maintenance is important to the life span of any deck. Proper cleaning and staining are necessary on a regular basis to protect the deck from the harsh environment. Prior staining the surface needs a good cleaning. A clean surface will ensure proper adhesion and stain penetration. Cleaning a wood surface prior to staining will also enhance the beauty of the wood and give you a better end result.

There are several necessary steps in the wood cleaning process to prepare the surface for a new coat of stain. The first step is to clean the wood with a quality wood cleaner to remove all the dirt, grime, mold, mildew, graying, and mill glaze. The aid of a deck cleaner will help breakup and remove these contaminants that may prevent the new stain from performing.

Most all quality deck cleaners contain caustic soaps that make cleaning a deck both easier and more effective. The downside to a caustic cleaner is that is raises the pH level of the wood and makes it appear very dark in color. Let’s explore some reasons why this is not ideal if not dealt with and how using a deck brightener can restore the wood.

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Defy Wood Brightener Review

Defy Deck Brightener

Defy Wood Brightener is an oxalic acid blend deck brightener and neutralizer. Designed to be used with either the Defy Wood Cleaner or the Defy Stain Stripper. Defy’s Wood Brightener is a concentrated liquid gallon that can make up to 5 gallons covering about 750 square feet. The purpose of this product is to “brighten” the wood’s appearance while canceling the caustic effects from wood cleaners and stain strippers. Helps to prep new decking by removing mill glaze. Defy Wood Brightener can also be used to remove rust spots from brick, concrete, and masonry.

Note: This deck brightener can be used to neutralize any deck cleaner or deck stain stripper.

Defy Wood Brightener Scores (1-10)

Wood Brightening/Lightening: 8

– An almost immediate reaction when applying. The Defy Wood Brightener lightened the wood right before our eyes. After the wood dried there was a very natural look to the cedar decking.

Cost Per Square Foot: 9

– Concentrated liquid gallon makes up to 5 gallons. One gallon for $19.99 covered the 600 square foot deck with ease.

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Wood Brightening – Deck Brightening

Use of a Deck Brightener

The use of Deck Cleaners and Deck Stains Strippers when prepping wood for a coat of deck stain will cause the pH balance to increase. This is due to the mild caustics (bases) that the cleaners and strippers use, making the products more effective in the cleaning process. The side effect is that the pH is changed and will “darken” the natural wood color. The Deck Brightener (mild acids) will neutralize the caustic of the cleaner or stripper setting the pH balance to a neutral 6. Using a deck brightener will increase the longevity of the stain as well.

Wood Deck Brightening is a much needed and easiest step in the entire prepping process.

The following steps should be used when applying a deck brightener:

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