Gas vs electric pressure washer on an old deck

I used a gas pressure washer on my parents' deck last summer and it tore strips off the wood because I got too close. Switched to an electric unit with a wide tip and it cleaned the rest perfectly without gouging. Has anyone else noticed the electric ones are way more forgiving on older wood?

2 comments

2 Comments

thea_knight2d ago

You mentioned the electric one being "way more forgiving" and that's EXACTLY right. The gas ones have SO much power that even with a wide tip you can still mess up if you're not careful. I did the same thing on my own deck, got too close with a gas washer and it left these ugly grooves. Switched to my buddy's electric one and it was like night and day, the spray pressure is lower but it gets the dirt off without eating the wood. Plus you don't have to mess with gas or oil which is nice.

williamprice2d ago

My neighbor tried to pressure wash his driveway last weekend and ended up blasting a chunk out of the concrete. He was using one of those gas powered monsters and got too cocky. Now he's got this little crater right in the middle of his driveway that fills with water every time it rains. Electric ones are definitely the safer bet for anything that isn't solid rock.