What is the highest psi that I can use to power-wash my fiberglass deck? I'm worried that too much power will scour and cut the glass....
Power Washing
- Thread starter dirtbike
- Start date
add to stu's ....it all depends....
is the current deck in great/good/bad condition.
I would start at the lowest pressure you can get, as it does not take much to knock the paint/gel coat off.
The father in law took an electric pressure washer to the fiberglass cap on his truck...first pass took the paint and primer off to the glass, in a very few seconds.
As an option, you may want to start with a good boat wash and bristle brush on a stick.....sometimes the old fashioned way is better in the long run.
is the current deck in great/good/bad condition.
I would start at the lowest pressure you can get, as it does not take much to knock the paint/gel coat off.
The father in law took an electric pressure washer to the fiberglass cap on his truck...first pass took the paint and primer off to the glass, in a very few seconds.
As an option, you may want to start with a good boat wash and bristle brush on a stick.....sometimes the old fashioned way is better in the long run.
I read about a guy who power washed his boat every season on the grass yard. Once year, he washed it over the asphalt driveway. Afterwards, he noticed minute flecks of white all over the driveway. Tiny bits of gelcoat. After that, he no longer power washed his boat...
You can use a fan tip and by adjusting your distance from the deck, you can control how much cleaning you are getting. The pressure dissipates rapidly as you increase the "Stand Off" distance. I use one like this http://www.harborfreight.com/1650-psi-pressure-washer-with-auto-stop-69488.html
(goes on sale for $79.) and I've found it to be adequate. don't hit the caulking/bedding directly.. wet down and spray with soap and let sit a few minutes before using the washer.
(goes on sale for $79.) and I've found it to be adequate. don't hit the caulking/bedding directly.. wet down and spray with soap and let sit a few minutes before using the washer.
I used that Harbor Freight washer this past weekend on my C22. Couldn't be more pleased. Especially cleaning the anti-skid areas. No need for those expensive 3000 psi washers that can drill holes through 2" plate
Good comments, all. Thanks much. Mostly, I was looking for something more preventative, like when it starts stinging your bare feet, you need to back off, or something more QA/QC oriented before I cut too deep.
I use a 2600 psi pressure washer with no problems.. have done so for years on lots of boats (I used to clean yachts professionally when I was growing up down in the Florida Keys). Just keep away from any soft areas like wood and the bedding material around hardware. Painted surfaces (over gel coat) might be a problem as well, depending on it's condition. Sometimes, it's the only way to clean badly pitted gel coat where a brush can't reach.
Cheers,
Brad
Cheers,
Brad
anything more than 2000psi is overkill.... iI have used high pressure washers (4000psi) on my powerboats and see no need to use more than 1000psi for the cleaning of the boats.
it cleans the nonskid very well and the accumulated black around the deck hardware. i also use a cleaner like simple green or awsome sprayed on the trouble areas and have always been happy with the results.... oxolic or muratic acid are also products I use with good success when cleaning the boat..
it cleans the nonskid very well and the accumulated black around the deck hardware. i also use a cleaner like simple green or awsome sprayed on the trouble areas and have always been happy with the results.... oxolic or muratic acid are also products I use with good success when cleaning the boat..
Oh man, the last time this thread came up, it quickly de-evolved into amputated fingers, blinding back wash and toxic infusion of wax through your skin...
I use a pressure washer on my boat, and my brand new Chevy truck, and the vinyl siding on my house, and the brick patio etc. etc. all of the time.
Don't use the red nozzle, don't point it directly at a surface as you pull the trigger (there is a surge)... don't get too close with the wand tip and use common sense.
90% or more is in the operator. Really. You can take a fifty dollar walmart washer and carve your name into the side, or a ten thousand dollar hydro-laser and wash new lumber all day long with it. Like most things, the error is generally in the nut..
Many often use a power washer to clean off the deck. After a few swipes with the high pressure on a wood deck, take a look at what is happening to the wood. Better yet, watch those at a marine yard taking off bottom paint with a high power washer and imagine what it is doing to the gel coat or better yet, use it on your arm. I bet you will be hollering. The answer I am going to give as a retired sailboat dealer, do not use a high pressure water pressure as you will be taking off gel coat no ifs ands or butts on the deck.
"If your only tool is a hammer, everything looks like a nail."
* Can't use it on wood. it drives into the fibers and shortens the life dramatically. Not even the home deck, no matter what Lowes tells you. Contractors like them because they are fast, not because they are good for the deck.
* Can't use it near sealants.
* Can't use it on ropes or canvas.
* Stay away from any lettering or self adhesive products.
* Remember to clean off the over spray; is the cleaner good for your dodger windows?
That leaves good gel coat and bottoms, where pealing action is a good thing. I can see it on good non-skid, where it gets in the grooves, but is it worth the risk of ruining nearby bedding? This is a game of inches. There are lost of industrial application, where the substrate is steel or concrete.
But for most boat cleaning, it dosn't strike me as the right tool, just a way to do hidden damage fast. You're probably better off with dirt.
Fast, though. If repair time doesn't count.
* Can't use it on wood. it drives into the fibers and shortens the life dramatically. Not even the home deck, no matter what Lowes tells you. Contractors like them because they are fast, not because they are good for the deck.
* Can't use it near sealants.
* Can't use it on ropes or canvas.
* Stay away from any lettering or self adhesive products.
* Remember to clean off the over spray; is the cleaner good for your dodger windows?
That leaves good gel coat and bottoms, where pealing action is a good thing. I can see it on good non-skid, where it gets in the grooves, but is it worth the risk of ruining nearby bedding? This is a game of inches. There are lost of industrial application, where the substrate is steel or concrete.
But for most boat cleaning, it dosn't strike me as the right tool, just a way to do hidden damage fast. You're probably better off with dirt.
Fast, though. If repair time doesn't count.