Light-duty pressure washers are rated at 2,000 PSI or less and are suitable for cleaning automobiles, motorcycles, boats, bicycles and all-purpose cleaning. Medium-duty pressure washers produce 2,000 to 3,000 PSI and can be used to remove grease and grim from concrete, sidewalks, decks and siding.
1000-2000 PSI
Good for light cleaning jobs or for jobs where the surface to be cleaned is soft and easily damaged. This pressure range is good for cleaning decks and siding and for light-duty auto cleaning.
There's no doubt that electric pressure washers from 1,300 to 2,300 psi can wash a concrete driveway, but it'll take longer. If you have a large driveway with lots of stains, you'll want more power to do the job faster. I chose the 3,100-psi gas pressure washer and cut the job time in half.
Mid-Range Power: 2,000 to 3,200 PSI
The most versatile category of pressure washers, those ranging from 2,000 to 3,200 PSI effectively clean cars (including the most well-used off-road vehicles), home siding, fences, boats and grimy garage floors. Those closer to 3,200 PSI work effectively on tough stains, too.
To clean a deck, some homeowners choose a washer with a pressure range of 1,300 to 2,400 psi, the same as washing a car. HGTV recommends working with the lowest pressure that cleans your deck materials gently: about 500 to 600 psi for soft woods like cedar or pine, and up to 1200 to 1500 psi for pressure-treated wood.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
If you want to clean your driveway quickly and efficiently, use a pressure washer of at least 3100 PSI. Using pressure washers with pressures ranging from 1000 to 2300 PSI will also help you clean your driveway, but it will take a long time.
Choosing a Pressure Washer
Vinyl siding can withstand a powerful gas pressure washer (2,500-3,000 psi). Aluminum, stucco or soft-grain wood homes will do better with a less powerful washer (about 1,200-1,500 psi). Determine whether you will rent or buy your machine.
2,000 - 2,900 PSI: This is a moderate strength unit used heavier residential tasks. These units are commonly sold as either electric or gas pressure washers. 3,000 - 6,900 PSI: These high pressure models are what professional pressure washers and contractors usually use.
PSI Pressure range for Different Surfaces
Different surfaces require different levels of PSI pressure. Generally, for most residential uses, an electric pressure washer (less than 2000 PSI) will suffice. Soft surfaces, such as decks and siding, usually require more cleaning power than harder surfaces such as driveways.
To correctly strip old paint, you should work with a power washer with a psi of 2000 or higher. Even starting out at 2000 probably won't do the trick and you'll need to set the psi closer to 3,000 for effective paint stripping.
For instance, a light layer of dirt or dust may only require a PSI of 1,500 to 2,000, while a thick layer of oil or grease may require a PSI of 3,500 or higher to remove.
The main difference is that power washing uses highly pressurized steam to do the cleaning while pressure washing just uses unheated tap water, without the help of a heating element.
Selecting a pressure washer with a range of 2,000 psi to 4,000 psi will give you the most effective power for removing peeling paint. With pressure washers, as with all power equipment, always wear protective goggles and closed-toe shoes. Prepare the area around the structure you are working on.
Medium-duty tasks
To clean concrete, exterior siding or an asphalt driveway, you'll want at least 2,000 to 2,800 psi and 2 to 3 gpm (4,000 to 8,400 ECUs).
What is a good PSI for a power washer? A model that creates anywhere between 1300 to 1700 pounds per square inch of pressure is decent. The higher the pressure, the more powerful it is.
For cleaning a wooden deck, you'll be best served by using the lowest pressure setting that's still effective. For soft woods like cedar or pine, this is usually about 500 to 600 psi. For harder woods, it can go up to 1200 to 1500 psi. Choose the right tip to use as well.
You'll need a power washer that provides a force of 3,000 PSI or more. The higher the pressure, the better and faster is the cleaning. If you want to use a lower pressure on certain surfaces, you can always attach a larger spray tip to it.
Pounds per square inch (psi) measures the compressive strength of concrete. A higher psi means a given concrete mixture is stronger, so it is usually more expensive.
For starters, too much pressure on windows can easily cause the glass to shatter, so you should never use a PSI over 2,000. Furthermore, you need to adjust the spray to its widest angle on a 40- or 65-degree nozzle and use a spray pattern that avoids perpendicular pressure on windows.
Every home is unique, from its square footage to the materials it's made from, making it difficult to give an exact estimate. For example, a 2,000 square foot home can take anywhere from one to three hours to power wash.
Tip: Only use low pressure when washing the exterior brick on your house. Pressure washing using 500 to 1000 PSI is recommended for cleaning masonry. Many professionals use 100 to 1500 PSI to avoid damage. 2,000 PSI is the absolute maximum, and that's for experienced pressure washers only.
Yes, because a pressure washer is 30-80 times stronger than your hose, it can cause damage if used improperly. If your concrete becomes etched during the pressure wash, you should stop before causing further damage and reduce the pressure.
Your pressure washer should have a minimum pressure rating of 3000 psi to effectively clean your sidewalk. There are a few situations where a higher pressure rating might be needed, but exterior cleaning experts all agree and recommend that 3000 psi is appropriate for residential use.
Applying a degreaser will loosen stains in the concrete, allowing you to pressure wash them away. Some pressure washers have an attachment tool for applying degreaser. Otherwise, scrub the degreaser into the concrete with a stiff-bristled brush or push broom.