Restoring a wood deck may not be something the average home owner should tackle. Decks can be severely damaged by power washers so if you are going to attempt this yourself, test your water pressure on a scrap piece of wood first.
It is critical to determine whether the deck needs to be stripped of an old failing sealer or if it just needs cleaned. To determine this splash some water on different areas of the deck, if the water absorbs quickly then most likely the deck has never been sealed. Moreover, if the water beads up on the deck then there is a presence of an old sealer and the deck will need to be stripped. The deck is washed in the same manner in both instances; the only difference will be whether you have to use a deck sealer stripping agent or a deck cleaner.
Once you have the proper cleaning equipment, contractor grade deck cleaner and wood sealer, it is time to get to work. Start by applying the deck cleaning solution as directed in the instructions. The instructions for the cleaner should give you an approximate time to wait before washing. Once it's time to wash, start at one end of the deck and work your way across and remember not to get too close to the wood with the tip of the wand.
Rinse the deck thoroughly and apply a contractor grade brightener to the wood following the directions and then rinse thoroughly once more. It is very important for you to read and follow the instructions for the wood sealer you purchased. Failure to apply the sealer as directed could lead to disaster and ruin the deck permanently! You may want to consider hiring a deck cleaning contractor to do the entire job for you.
