Pressure washers

Hi pete,
I've just had a quick look on the net for the cost of hiring a pressure washer. It seems a bit expensive to me.

It depends on how much paving you want to clean but if there is a lot then you need a tougher washer because the small ones can overheat and cut out if used for a long time.

It sounds as though you have many years of grime on the paving so you will want one with at least 100 bar rating.

If you don't have a vast area to cover then I would guess that the Wickes 100 bar washer would be sufficient and they are currently on special offer for £47.99. That is similar to the basic one that the hire companies rent out.
If you have a lot to do then I would recommend their other one that is on offer at £132.88. I have one of these and it is vastly better and tougher than the cheaper ones. e.g. it has metal connectors instead of plastic and a sturdier motor. I have nearly 200 sq m of patio and this machine reduced the time taken by at least a third - and it is likely to last much longer.

If you have any friends that need their paving cleaned then maybe you can come to some agreement with them for them borrowing it for a nominal charge.

If you have any other questions then please ask.

 

pete, one of the factors, apart from how much dirt there is on the paving, is what the paving is made of. If it's a smooth paving stone or of a high density then 110 bar should be good enough because the grime doesn't get imbedded in the paving so much.

If it is something like sandstone, which a lot of the modern paving is, then you are likely to need the higher pressure. If it is of a harder stone, more like the street paving stones (especially the old paving stones that had granite chips in them), then 110 will be sufficient.

If you have concrete grouting between the paving stones then you need to be careful not to let the water jet linger on it or it will break it and blast it out. You would need to run the jet very quickly over it in a continuous movement so that the jet isn't on the grouting for more than a second. Maybe keeping the jet at least a foot above it.

You realise that when you have done the cleaning once and seen how much of a difference it makes you will find you will want ot keep it looking clean like that. I found that when I had first done it after 10 years of the paving being down I saw that our blackish looking paving actually had some colour to it. :D