A wood deck or cedar fence is a beautiful feature on any property — but exposed wood is constantly under attack from UV, moisture, mildew, tannin bleed, foot traffic, deicing salts, planter rust and pet stains. Within two or three seasons, even a high-quality deck looks gray, splintered, blotchy and tired. Most homeowners assume the only fix is to sand, stain and seal the entire structure — a multi-day project that runs into thousands of dollars. AquaShine's restoration process is faster, cheaper, and in most cases produces a better result.
Our process is a three-step wood-restoration cycle: clean, brighten, and seal. We start by applying a sodium-percarbonate-based wood cleaner that lifts mildew, embedded dirt, tannin bleed and old failing finish without damaging the wood fibers. We never use high pressure on wood. After dwell time, we rinse with a soft, high-volume rinse that flushes contaminants out of the grain. The deck is then neutralized with an oxalic-acid-based wood brightener that opens the grain, removes iron staining (from nails, screws and planters), kills any remaining mildew spores and restores the original golden tone of the wood.
After the deck or fence dries (typically 48 hours), we return to apply a high-quality penetrating oil sealer. We use only premium products — Ready Seal, TWP, Armstrong-Clark and similar professional-grade penetrating finishes. Film-forming products like the old generation of solid stains crack and peel after a single season; penetrating oils soak into the wood, repel water, block UV and never peel. You can choose clear, semi-transparent or solid pigmentation depending on the look you want. We apply two coats wet-on-wet for maximum penetration and longevity.
The transformation is dramatic. A gray, splintering, sad-looking deck becomes a warm, rich, water-beading surface that looks brand-new. A weathered cedar privacy fence becomes a glowing amber wall that you actually want to look at. Maintenance is straightforward — we recommend a light clean and re-coat every two to three years for decks, every three to five for vertical fence boards.
We restore ipe, mahogany and exotic hardwood decks with the same care — these dense woods require a different sealer (typically a UV-blocker rather than a pigmented oil) and we will recommend the right product for your wood.
Pricing varies by square footage and condition. Most residential decks fall between $499 and $1,499 for the clean, brighten and seal cycle. Cedar fences typically run $4–$8 per linear foot depending on height and condition. We provide a flat-rate quote up front based on an on-site measurement. Every restoration is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee and the manufacturer's warranty on the sealer we apply.