Technician soft washing a covered oceanfront porch and railing, coastal Georgia

Deck & Fence Cleaning

Deck and Fence Cleaning in Brunswick, GA – Wood, Composite and Vinyl

A wood deck in Brunswick goes grey in two summers and green in one shady one.

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A white vinyl fence turns the color of the marsh. Atlantic Coastal Cleaning cleans decks, porches and fences across Brunswick, St. Simons Island and Sea Island using low pressure and the right cleaner for the material, because a deck that has been pressure washed clean is a deck with raised grain, splinters and a shorter life. Call (912) 571-0639 for a free quote, or read on for how we treat each surface.

Why decks go grey and green here

Two things happen to exterior wood in coastal Georgia, and they happen faster here than almost anywhere in the state.

Grey is the sun. Ultraviolet light breaks down the surface fibers of the wood, and the weathered fibers turn silver grey. It is cosmetic at first and structural later, because grey wood holds water.

Green and black are algae and mildew. Under live oaks, on the north side of the house, or anywhere the deck stays damp past noon, the boards grow a film that is slippery when wet and that eats into the wood over time. Marsh front decks and docks get it worst because they never dry out. Add pollen in spring and salt all year and a deck can look ten years older than it is.

None of it needs high pressure to fix. It needs the right cleaner, enough time for it to work, and a gentle rinse.

Wood decks: low pressure and the right cleaner

Most decks in Glynn County are pressure treated pine; the nicer ones are cedar or ipe. All three are softer than they look when they are wet, and a pressure wand held close will fuzz the surface, gouge the boards and leave stripes that show for years.

Our method is the same soft wash approach we use on siding. We apply a wood cleaner at low pressure, let it sit long enough to lift the grey fibers and kill the algae, then rinse with a wide fan tip from a distance. On badly greyed wood we follow with a brightener that neutralizes the cleaner and brings the color back toward what it was when the deck was built. The boards come out clean, the grain stays flat, and the deck is ready for stain or sealer once it dries.

Railings, steps, lattice skirting and the underside where the mildew hides all get the same treatment. Pool decks made of wood are cleaned this way too; the surrounding concrete or pavers are a different job and live on our pool deck and patio surfaces page.

Pressure treated pine pool deck after low pressure cleaning, Glynn County Georgia

Composite and vinyl

Composite decking does not rot, but it does grow mold in the embossed grain, and manufacturers warn against high pressure because it scars the surface and voids the warranty. We soft wash composite with a cleaner made for it and rinse at low pressure, and the color comes back evenly.

Vinyl fencing and vinyl porch rails are the easiest thing on the list to bring back and the easiest to ruin. The green comes off with the soft wash solution and a rinse; the damage comes from a wand that leaves permanent etch marks in the plastic. We do not use one on vinyl. If you want the plain answer on whether the solution is safe on your material, read whether soft washing is safe on vinyl.

Fences: privacy, picket, vinyl, chain link

Wood privacy fencesget the deck treatment: cleaner, dwell time, low pressure rinse, and a brightener if the wood has gone grey. Both sides, if we can get to both.
Picket fencesare mostly painted or vinyl, and paint does not like pressure, so they are soft washed.
Vinyl fencesare soft washed and come back white.
Chain linkdoes not need cleaning so much as rinsing; the algae on the posts and the bottom rail comes off with the solution and a rinse.

A fence line under trees, or one that backs onto the marsh, greens up on the shaded side first. We clean the whole run so it matches.

Decks and fences on the islands

Island decks are the hardest cases we see. The salt film on a Sea Island deck holds moisture against the wood, and the oak canopy over the older cottages on St. Simons keeps the boards damp for days after a rain. We are on both islands most weeks; see washing decks on Sea Island for how we work there.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will you pressure wash my deck?

No. Decks and fences are cleaned with a low pressure application of a wood cleaner, dwell time, and a gentle rinse. High pressure raises the grain, leaves stripes and shortens the life of the boards, so we do not do it.

Can you get the grey out of old wood?

Usually, yes. The cleaner lifts the weathered grey fibers and a brightener brings the color back toward the original. Wood that has been grey for many years will look much better but will not look brand new.

Is the cleaner safe for my plants and the marsh?

We wet down the plants before we start, keep the solution on the wood, and rinse everything when we finish. On a marsh front deck we work from the house side out so the rinse runs onto the yard, not the water.

How soon after cleaning can I stain or seal the deck?

Give it two or three dry days. Stain applied to damp wood does not hold.

Do you clean docks?

Yes, the deck boards and railings of a private dock are cleaned the same way as a deck.

Get a free deck or fence cleaning quote

(912) 571-0639

Call or text (912) 571-0639, or send a message through the site. We come out, look at the wood and the algae, and give you a written price with no charge for the visit. Most decks are done in a morning and dry by the next day.

Call (912) 571-0639 for a Free Quote

Veteran ownedLicensed & insuredFree written quotesBrunswick · St. Simons · Sea Island