Many of the decks that we inspect have finish coatings that are at or past the end of their useful service life. In our wet climate, maintaining a protective finish coating on the deck can do as much as double the service life of a deck. Failing to do so will allow the deck to suffer UV and moisture damage. Refinishing a deck is typically a straightforward, if labor-intensive, process that is much less expensive and less labor-intensive than replacing the deck boards. It can typically be accomplished in a weekend by a homeowner with a small investment in tools and products.
The key to successfully refinishing a deteriorated deck is to properly prepare the deck for the new stain that you will be applying. Failing to do this will mean that the new finish coating will not perform as intended and could fail very quickly. To avoid the wasted time and expense of having to redo the work that was done, we strongly recommend taking the time to prepare the deck.
The type of product that you should use to remove the existing finish coating and prepare the deck for new stain will depend greatly on the condition of the deck and what finish product was used previously. There are a variety of deck washes and cleaners out there. You should determine the product that you need and follow the manufacturer’s use guidelines closely. Failing to do so can damage the deck wood, harm surrounding vegetation, and be a health hazard. Also make sure that you wear proper protective gear when working with chemicals. You may find that more than one type of product is needed to accomplish the task.
A pressure washer is a very helpful tool for cleaning and preparing the deck. Just be careful not to damage the deck by using too much pressure or holding the pressure washer wand too close to the deck. A sander is also useful for removing stains and existing finishes that chemical cleaners are unable to remove. While helpful, these tools are not absolutely necessary. You should be able to accomplish the job without them.
After the deck has been properly cleaned and the old deck finish has been removed, you should restrain the deck. There are many different types of deck stain products out there. Typically, the more solid the color of the stain, the longer it will last. A semi-transparent finish is the most commonly used. If you use a darker color, it will do a better job of hiding any color imperfections that your deck may have. Stains can be applied via brushes, rollers, or pads. You can also use a sprayer to apply the stain.
You can find more information about the deck refinishing process here: