A beautifully refinished wood deck not only looks great and extends the life of the wood, but it also may help improve the real estate value of your home and make it more appealing to potential buyers. The complete refinishing process for a wood deck may involve several individual steps, including:
- Inspection and repair
- Cleaning
- Power washing
- Sanding
- Staining/sealing
Not all refinishing projects will include all steps. For example, deck surfaces do not always need to be sanded, and some decks are simply sealed and are not colored with stain. In most cases, however, the stain itself is the sealer, and it includes some pigment to even out the wood’s coloring and provides additional protection against sun damage.
In any case, a professional-looking deck refinishing job can be done in a weekend or two and will transform a drab, tired old wood deck into a vibrant beautiful entertainment area ready for a celebration barbecue.
Before You Begin
The first step in your wood deck refinishing project should be a thorough inspection, looking for any loose surface boards or structural component problems, including rotting or severely split wood. If you do need to replace a damaged or rotten deck board or other components, make the necessary repairs before beginning the overall refinishing project.
The exact approach to cleaning a deck will depend on its current finish and what your goals are for refinishing.
If you have a varnished or painted wood deck and want a stained wood deck, you must first strip the paint or varnish off the deck surface using a chemical stripper. This will be followed by cleaning and sanding before applying a new stain finish. If you are simply painting, however, the process is relatively simple: clean and sand, then repaint.
If your deck is finished with a clear sealer or a transparent or semi-transparent wood stain, then you can just clean the surface with a wood deck cleaner, without bothering with paint stripper. It’s recommended that you use an oxygen-based wood cleaner designed to remove mildew stains and graying caused by sun exposure while it cleans the wood of dirt and deposits.
Source: The Spruce
