Lake Tuscaloosa docks and boathouses
A dock on the upper lake sits in the sun all day and in the damp all night, which is the fastest way to turn pressure-treated pine grey. The boathouse walls catch the splash and the shade and grow green on the water side. Stairs down to the water grow the same green on the treads, where it gets slick enough to be a real problem.
We soft wash all of it. A cleaner kills the growth, a low-pressure rinse takes it off, and a brightener brings the grey back toward the color of the wood. Pressure on dock boards raises the grain and shortens the life of the lumber, so we do not use it. The brightening work on docks and lake decks runs from the house down to the water in one visit, including the boathouse, the walkway and any railing. We keep the cleaner off the lake and rinse toward the bank, and if there is a swim platform we do it last.
For a dock, a photo from the water side and one from the house tells us most of what we need. Every job is priced in writing before we start, by the surface and its size, from a photo or a quick walk-around.
Rural brick ranches and long drives
The ranches along 43 and 69 are mostly brick, most of them with a concrete drive that runs a good way from the road. The drive goes black under the trees and grey in the sun, and the brick picks up an orange line along the bottom where the clay splashes after a storm. The county sees more than fifty inches of rain in a normal year, and the heaviest of it tends to come in spring, right when everyone wants the house to look good. The forecast office that covers Tuscaloosa County is where we look before scheduling a roof or a long drive, because a wash that gets rained on halfway through is a wash we have to come back for.
On the drive we use a surface cleaner so the concrete comes up even, then post-treat the shaded sections so the mildew is slower returning. The concrete work we run on rural drives also covers the carport pad, the slab in front of the shop, and the walk to the door. On the brick, the clay band gets its own cleaner and a careful low-pressure rinse so the mortar is left alone. We work Monday through Saturday, 7am to 6pm, and answer quote requests the same day, and Samantha is on a regular northern route for us rather than an occasional trip.
What we wash in Samantha
Docks, boathouses, lake stairs and swim platforms. Decks, railings and pergolas. Brick, vinyl and Hardie houses, with the foundation band included. Shingle and metal roofs, treated at low pressure. Long drives, carport slabs, shop floors and walks. Gutters. Barns, shops and metal buildings.
The crew that comes to Samantha generally works Northport and Coker on the way up or back, since we wash houses, roofs and concrete across Tuscaloosa County: Tuscaloosa, Northport, Cottondale, Coker, Brookwood, Vance, Duncanville, Fosters, Coaling, Moundville, Holt, Lake View and Samantha. That routing means a neighbor's job on the same day is easy to add, and the lake side of the road and the pasture side get the same written price before anything starts.
Services we bring out here
- House WashingLow-pressure soft wash that lifts algae, mildew and pollen film and keeps water out of the wall.
- Deck and Fence CleaningGrey wood back to tan, ready for stain.
- Driveway and Concrete CleaningA surface cleaner lifts red clay, mildew and oil with no wand stripes.
- Pressure Washing in NorthportSoft wash for siding and roofs, free quote from a photo.
- House Washing in CokerSoft wash for siding, free written quote from a photo.
- House Washing in HoltMildewed north walls, pine straw in the gutters and older homes cleaned gently.
- Where We WorkFind your town and send a photo for a same-day written quote.
- Get a Free QuoteLearn what sets the price and what happens after you send the form.
- Home base: TuscaloosaFastest response, every service.
Questions we get
Can you reach a dock that is only accessible from the water?
Usually. Most docks on the upper lake can be reached from the bank or the walkway. If the only way is by boat, tell us in the quote request and we will work it out before we price it.
Does the cleaner hurt the fish or the lake?
We keep it off the water and use the least the job needs. It breaks down quickly once diluted. We rinse toward the bank, not the lake.
How long does a long concrete drive take?
Most rural drives are a few hours with a surface cleaner, including the post-treatment. Length is the main thing we need to quote it, and a photo from the road looking toward the house helps.