Can You Pressure Wash a Diving Board?

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Is your pool’s diving board looking a little dingy & grimy? Maybe you tried washing it with a little dish soap and it’s still not looking 100%. You may be asking yourself, can you pressure wash a diving board?

The answer is yes, you can effectively pressure wash your diving board without damaging it by washing it on a low pressure setting and being mindful of any areas that are cracking or peeling.

Here’s everything you need to know about pressure washing a diving board, including what kind of pressure washer is best, precautions to take to avoid damaging your diving board, as well as a step by step guide to pressure washing a diving board.

Why Pressure Wash a Diving Board?

To answer this question, it’s important to understand what a diving board is made out of. Diving boards are typically made out of fiberglass or other composite materials. These materials are chosen because they are strong and durable, which is important for a product that will be constantly exposed to water and moisture.

The surface of a diving board is typically made out of a non-slip material that resembles a course sandpaper. It’s made by applying a layer of resin on the top of the board, following by a layer of sand. After the sand has dried to the resin, another layer of laminating resin is applied over the sand. This gives the surface of the diving board a comfortable, safe surface to walk on that is not slippery when wet.

The rough textured surface, however, makes cleaning and keeping your diving board clean a challenge. Dirt and grime don’t come up very easily just taking a rag & soap to it.

The intensity of the water pressure that comes from a pressure washer, however, can be an effective way to to lift dirt and grime from the rough surface of the diving board where conventional cleaning methods fail.

What Kind of Pressure Washer is Best to Clean a Diving Board?

Surface pressure washers can be an effective way to clean a diving board. The high-pressure stream of water can remove dirt and grime from the surface of the board, leaving it clean and safe for swimmers. For best results, it is important to use a surface pressure washer with adjustable pressure settings. This will ensure that you do not damage the surface of the board while still getting it clean.

A surface pressure washer is a good thing to have around, but you may be in the market for a pressure washer that does more than just clean surfaces. You may need it to clean the side or your home or a vehicle. If that’s the case, a good electric pressure washer is nice to have around. We like the Ryobi 2000 Electric Pressure Washer, if you’re looking to buy one.

If you already have a gas pressure washer and want to wash your diving board with it, you can do it. Just be aware that gas pressure washers are generally significantly more powerful than electric pressure washers. Set it to the lowest pressure setting. This may involve using a wide angle tip on the end of your washer gun. Start with the gun 3 feet away from the diving board and move closer in as needed.

Recall what the surface of the diving board is made out of. It’s just sand in between two layers of resin. If you use a gas pressure washer at full blast 6 inches away, you will clean the diving board all right. You also may strip away the resin, sand and even some of the fiberglass underneath.

How To Wash a Diving Board with a Pressure Washer

Diving boards are often pressure washed in order to clean them and keep them looking their best. Pressure washing a diving board is not difficult, but there are a few things that you will need to do in order to ensure that the job is done properly. Here are the steps that you will need to follow in order to pressure wash a diving board with a standard pressure washer like the Stanley 2150 Electric Pressure washer:

1. Inspect your diving board for damage. Be aware of any places where paint has been chipped or is peeling. If you find any areas like this, you want to be careful not to directly spray these areas with a pressure washer, causing further damage. If you find a lot of these areas, scrape and sand them down prior to washing the diving board.

2. Set up your pressure washer. Make sure that the pressure washer is set to a low setting, as you do not want to damage the diving board. Start at 2000 PSI and move up from there if needed.

3. Optional: Pour a gentle detergent, like diluted dish soap, into the detergent tray of your pressure washer. To make a dish soap detergent, use 1 tablespoon of soap for every quart of water.

4. Once the pressure washer is set up, you will need to hold it about a foot away from the diving board and start washing it. You should move the pressure washer in a circular motion as you wash the board.

5. After you have finished washing the diving board, you will need to rinse it off with clean water.

6. Finally, you will need to dry the diving board with a clean towel.

By following these steps, you should be able to pressure wash your diving board without any problems.

If you elected to use a surface pressure washer to clean your diving board, check this video out to see how effective it can be

A Helpful Video on How to Pressure Wash a Diving Board

How to Restore a Diving Board with Cracked or Peeling Paint

Maybe you damaged it with your pressure washer while cleaning it. Or it may have been in bad shape before you attempted to pressure wash your diving board. Either way, if your diving board’s paint is severely cracked or peeling, here are some steps you can take to restore it so that it looks new again:

Materials Needed (with Amazon links)

• Putty Knife
• Sandpaper
• 3-4” Paint Brush
• Rubberized Deck Paint
• Gardening sand

1. First, you will need to remove the peeling paint from the surface of the diving board. This can be done by using a putty knife or other sharp object.

2. Next, you will need to sand the surface of the diving board. This will help to smooth out any uneven surfaces.

3. Wipe down your diving board with a damp towel, removing and dust and debris from the surface.

4. Mix 6 tablespoons of gardening sand with 3 cups of the deck paint. This should be enough to give you two coats on your diving board.

5. After the diving board is completely dry, apply the paint with a paint brush as evenly as possible. Wait 8 hours or more, then apply the second coat.

4. Allow 10 hours for the second coat to dry completely.

Enjoy your new diving board!

Here’s a video that can help you along the way

A Helpful Video on How to Restore a Diving Board