1 Sources of Wear

Dirt, water and sunlight -- they all take a toll on wooden decks and it isn't long before a new one ends up looking like this.

2 Protect the Grass

Begin by wetting down nearby grass and shrubs to dilute any runoff of the cleaner.

3 Pre-wet the Deck

If it's a hot, sunny day, pre-wet the deck itself to keep the cleaner from evaporating before it has a chance to do its work.

4 Use a Pump Sprayer

The fastest and easiest way to apply a cleaner is with a pump sprayer.

5 Thompson's WaterSeal

Spray on a product like Thompson's WaterSeal Deck Cleaner & Brightener solution by holding the nozzle a couple of feet from the surface and moving it steadily from side to side. The idea is to wet the deck thoroughly and not let it dry out.

6 Work the Cleaner In

After a few minutes, use a synthetic bristle brush to work the cleaner into the wood. It's not necessary to do a whole lot of scrubbing here; just agitate.

7 Rinse the Deck

After waiting a few more minutes, it's time to rinse. On some decks, a high-pressure garden hose is all that's needed.

8 Pressure Washing

For stubborn stains or deeper discoloration, a pressure washer does the trick, but be careful to keep the nossle moving and not get it too close to the surface -- it can actually etch away the wood. Once finished, give the deck some time to shed any standing water.

9 Seal the Deck

This high performance sealer from Thompson's provides excellent protection from sun and rain and it can be applied to a damp surface and even used on fresh pressure-treated lumber. This version has a transparent tint.

10 Work It In

Now, all sealers need to be worked into the surface if they're going to penetrate and do their job. For that reason, using a large paint pad attached to a long handle is the easiest and fastest method.

11 Paint the Sides by Hand

Getting the sealer on the side of the boards requires a bit of handwork.

12 Water Protection

Cleaning and sealing not only makes the deck look great, it offers real protection too. All you have to do is look at the water beading up on the surface to know this treatment is doing its job.

13 Before...

It's hard to believe that this is the same section of deck that we actually started with.

14 ...and After

Restoring, reviving and protecting a deck has never been easier.