Decks, Patios, Porches and Docks - Deck Cleaning and Waterproofing Help

Hello All, I have a deck that has not been treated in at least 3 years, once upon a time it was a redish color but I have no idea what type of wood it is. If it matters I am located in the midatlantic side of the US. I have tried to powerwash it with a 50/50 bleach mix but in my unexpert opinion it looks bad and I may need to do more to it.

This link is the deck with no treatment.
http://members.verizon.net/vze4wdx6/deck_with_no_bleachwash.jpg

This link is the deck after the powerwash with the 50/50 bleach mix.
http://members.verizon.net/vze4wdx6/deck_with_bleachwash.jpg

Any help would be greatly appreciated.
R_Bennu

We have recently bought a new house with an very large pine pressure treated deck, approximately 5 years old. Deck has never been sealed, lots of trees surrounding it, so deck was 1.) very dirty 2.) showing some damage. We have cleaned the deck with bleach solution and a power washer; deck was so black in places it required two treatments. There are now white streaks present in the wood; but with water on it, it turns a lovely golden oak color.

Two questions: Should I put some kind of conditioner or brightener on the deck before sealing? and What kind of sealer would you recommend? Oil base, obviously, how about UV protection and mildewicide? Other considerations?

***Thompson's WaterSeal not an option; have heard from many sources that the finish is sticky; no one will buy it a second time. Has anyone used a sealer that is not sticky?***

R bennu
Your deck needs to be rewashed. You might try adding some detergent to the mix [never use bleach at more than 50%]. Scrubbing with a brush or broom may help. Make sure you rinse well. The majority of decks are built with PT pine. I think that is what you have.

QuinnDeHart
If the streaks disappear when wet it should be ok to seal/paint over them. If you use a clear or semi transparent finish, use oil base or waterborne. If you want a solid color stain either oil or latex would be fine. You can add extra mildewcide to the coating. I have had good results with SWP's waterborne cuprinol [now called deckscapes].

I was planning to spray the stain on and reading the directions the say to backbrush. Is this simple the process of going back over with a roller or a brush? If so am I not doing double the work by spraying if I have to backbrush anyway. I am using cabot SPF. Thanks.

I know I have read here, that one can use a sprayer and I thought one of the advantages was that it would easily get into the creases. I may have taken the title professional sprayer (Garden Sprayer) that I got from the local big shop too literally but that's what I have. I had used it for the Thompsons Sealer and had no problem applying it, I am now using Cabot's SPF (sunray color) but the sprayer only lets out a little trickle. The Cabot's is obviously a lot thicker than the Thompsons' should I be using another sprayer?

Back brushing or back rolling is just going over the surface to work the material [that has already been applied] into the surface. As far as I know only Thompsons and other similiar [thin] products can be sprayed with a garden sprayer. You should be able to apply it with a brush and roller. Although you normally cut in with a brush and then roll, in this situation you would want to apply it with a roller and then brush it out also covering the areas that the roller missed.

deck was so black in places it required two treatments. There are now white streaks present in the wood; but with water on it, it turns a lovely golden oak color.

Two questions: Should I put some kind of conditioner or brightener on the deck before sealing? and What kind of sealer would you recommend?

Two answers:
Yes, I would
I suggest Cabot Problem Solver Wood Brightener and Cabot Stain (oil)

I would try a little scrubbing and powerwashing (if poss) to get rid of as much of those white streaks as you can
A little bit won't show through too much
But if it's real bad, it can show through stain

Try and get rid of as much of the black as possible, that'll show through
If you can't get rid of it then make sure it's dead (bleach)

Many times I've had to mildicide and clean 2X and then brighten before staining around here
(around here being the corner of river and ocean, or The Land of Rust and Mildew as I like to call it)
After that much cleaning, the deck can get kinda blotchy,the brightener really tends to "even it out" before staining

It also helps get rid of those white splotches