Your guide to patio and decking cleaning prices
If your patio or decking is looking a bit tired, dirty or just old and faded, getting it professionally cleaned is the perfect way to rejuvenate your entire garden. A professional pressure wash and seal service will bring the colour back to faded paving, reduce the unsightly algae or mould in the joints, or bring a beautiful rich wood colour back to your decking.
But, if you’re in the market for this cleaning service, you might be worried about the cost. Or, if you’re considering doing it yourself, it’s worth doing the research into how much a professional service might cost, and what it might include – so you can make the best decision for you.
In this article, we’ll cover the prices you should expect to pay for both patio cleaning and decking cleaning services. And, we’ll give you details on what’s generally included, so you can understand what the companies you choose are likely to offer. So, read on to find out more about patio and decking cleaning prices.
How much does patio cleaning cost?
For patio cleaning, we’ve provided a price in the table to the right of this article. This is based on the geographical differences in labour for each area. These prices are for a medium sized patio, around 30 square metres. This includes pressure or jet washing the patio, as well as sealing the area afterwards to protect the area and stop mould or algae from coming back.
What affects the cost of patio cleaning?
The main thing that will affect the cost of your patio cleaning job is the size of the patio. Simply put, the larger the patio, the more work will be required to clean and seal it. This means for smaller patios, you should expect to pay significantly less than the prices in the table, around £150-£250. But, for larger patios, the price you pay could be as much as £400+.
As well as the size, the condition of your patio can also affect the price. In general, this won’t make a big difference, but if your patio is especially poor condition, you may find that the cleaning companies you speak to will add some on the quote. This is for the simple reason that a patio in more condition will need more cleaning and possibly more patio cleaning chemicals. In particular, patios that are in particularly bad condition may need extra weed or stain treatment to clean, and this will then be reflected in the price.
What's included in patio cleaning?
Patio cleaning generally will include pressure or jet washing of the entire area, followed by a process of adding sealant to protect it against weather damage in the future. Most professional cleaning companies will offer both of these services as standard, along with some level of spot treatment of any specific stains or problem areas. Adding sealant is a key part of the process, and is designed to keep your patio in perfect condition for longer. Sealant will ensure that your patio retains the natural colour of the paving and is protected from the harsh elements for longer.
Your patio may also need rejointing or re-sanding, depending on the age of the paving slabs and type of patio. This is often considered an extra service when it comes to patio cleaning, but it may be included – it’s worth getting quotes from a range of cleaning companies if you think this may be required, as it can affect the price.
How much does it cost to get decking cleaned?
If you’ve got decking rather than a paving or concrete patio, you’ll likely be wondering how much it might cost to get this cleaned. Unlike pressure washing a patio, the process for cleaning decking can be quite different, depending on the type of wood you’ve got, the stain that’s been applied, and the overall condition.
Because wood decking is far more vulnerable than paving or concrete, pressure washing must be done in a far gentler way. This can mean it takes longer, especially if you’ve got a large area of decking as well as stairs and bannisters that also need cleaning. However, the overall amount of labour that goes into cleaning decking can be lower. So, you should expect to pay between £200 and £400 for decking cleaning, making it comparable to the cost of patio cleaning.
What affects the cost?
The overall size of your decking will be the primary thing that affects the cost. For particularly small areas of decking, this could mean you only pay around £100-£200. However, for very large decks, this could increase the price to over £500.
The condition of the decking can make a big difference to the cost, as well. The range of treatments that are applied to decking varies – with oils, stains and preservatives all used. Because of this, the treatment that was applied to the decking in the past could affect the price. Old, peeling deck stain can be difficult to clean, and this may need to be stripped, which is time consuming.
On top of this, any staircases or balustrades as part of your decking will generally add a small amount to the price. Cleaning these parts can be fiddly work, so expect the cleaning companies to add a small additional fee if this service is required.
What's included in decking cleaning?
The process of cleaning decking generally involves one gentle power wash, a scrub of the decking to remove any stubborn areas of dirt or algae, followed by a number of coats of oil and potentially a biocide treatment too to remove any algae or mould. Any coatings such as varnish or stain may need to be stripped before this entire process is started.
Depending on the condition of the decking, the number of times this treatment process is repeated may vary. Decking in particularly poor condition may require repeated cleaning and extra treatments with various cleaning chemicals to give a good finish.