Deck Restoration Help – Deck Stain Questions and Answers

Topic starter 11/07/2016 12:58 am

Hello! I would like to ask for some help regarding the proper method, tools and products for restoring my family's house deck.

The deck I would guess is around 15-20 years old and has been painted twice. It is in bad condition however we don't have the $$ to buy a new one. The pictures in the gallery attached show the paint starting to strip from our harsh winters we get in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Deck photos :

GOO.GL "https://goo.gl/photos/HHbLwjrebF4mBuqMA"

It has been painted twice and I would like to get it back to a clean slate and stain it. Full sun, i believe the wood is pressure treated hardwood.

Please see the links below for photos. There is a lot of surface area so this project wont be the most fun 🙁

From reading your articles I have tried to determine a plan of action.

I plan to first sand off the top layer and hope to remove all the paint. I plan to sand with a 3x24 makita belt sander and try to sand the railings with a 1/4 sheet hand sander and finally get the areas in between the railings with sand sponge.

Following this from your articles would i need to apply a stripper to remove any left over paint? as what i understand it would require application using a hand pump spray then require a pressure wash to remove.

Then follow with an application of cleaner / pressure wash and then finally brightener/ pressure wash.(are all these steps necessary?)

Finally let it dry for a 3 days before finally brushing to get any dirt off then finally staining with a semi-translucent or a semi-solid oil based stain.

Do i need to apply a sealant after staining? What cleaning products and stain would you recommend that is available in Canada?

Would this be the correct approach?

Thank you! much appreciated

Sanding the rails will be extremely difficult and will not work with a hand sander or sponge. Stain stripper will not remove this either. We would suggest a two toned deck for this:

DECKSTAINHELP.COM "http://www.deckstainhelp.com/advantages-to-having-a-two-toned-deck/"

Two-Toned Decks in 2025: Pro Tips, Advice, & Advantages

There are several advantages to having a two-toned deck. Blend the deck in better with the house without having to give up the natural wood look is one benefit.

Sand off all the horizontals until completely removed. Clean and brighten after. Pressure wash all vertical railings to remove dirt and any loose paint. You do not need to remove all, just what is loose.

Solid stain/paint the rails any color you would like using Flood brands. Use a penetrating semi-transparent for the floor. Look at Armstrong Clark for floors.