Removing flaking paint from wood fence

[KeninRWTX]

So how much pressure and what flow rate is really sufficient to remove old, flaky paint/stain from a wood fence?  I can actually remove much of it with a garden hose, so it seems a great amount of pressure is not necessary, but the garden hose uses a lot of water and is too slow to do a large area.

[Dan@Adams]

Hi @KeninRWTX, an electric pressure washer with a psi over 1000 should remove flaky paint from a wood fence. There are a few cautions though to not damage the fence:

- Keep the pressure washer wand at least 12" away from the wood surface

- Do NOT use a 0° nozzle tip on the pressure washer handle, as it can damage wood (0° nozzle tip is usually used for cleaning stains from concrete)

- I would be hesitant to use use a 15° nozzle tip as well, as it would still be a very powerful stream

- A 25° or 40° nozzle tip is what I would start out with in a small test area.

Our Pressure Washer 2.0 would be a great option for use around the yard as well as your vehicle, since it has a 35-foot power cord and a 40-foot hose for the Snub Nose Handle. It has a working pressure of 1700PSI at a flow rate of 1.4GPM, and you can find it here:

 

https://adamspolishes.com/products/adams-pressure-washer

We have a 15% off sale running as well, which would bring the price down under $300 before taxes, and it would qualify for free shipping.

[Rich]

Welcome to the forum. 

 

I have a wood privacy fence that I pressure wash fairly often. Like Dan said, don't get real close if you're using a straight spray. Instead, set it so it fans out. You can get a little closer with that kind of spray.  But you're not going to get all the paint off with a pressure washer either.  Which is why I just have mine stained and water sealed.  I spray wash to remove the dirt and mildew, and then reseal the wood.