Has your deck seen better times? Is it discolored and old-looking? Well, you can restore its charm by starting a staining project.
It takes a lot of time and patience to revive a weathered deck but the outcome will make you forget about your trouble. The surface has to be repaired, pressure-washed, and sanded before being stained.
Follow these steps for successful completion of the project.
Table of Contents
Make repairs
The project is supposed to begin by inspecting the weathered condition of your deck in order to make the essential repairs. Inspect the surface for any loose, rotten, or warped boards, as well as for any structural issues that need immediate attention.
Any rotten board should be replaced with a new one so as to prevent rot from spreading. Use a screwdriver to check each board for rot by touching it with the tip of the tool. If the tip of the screwdrivers disappears into the wood, it means the damage is severe. Check out this URL for some helpful tips for preserving wood.
Afterward, examine the condition between the house and the deck for potential screws and bolts deterioration. It’s normal for fasteners to become loose, screws to rust, and flashing to bend as the surface gets older. Therefore, you’re supposed to replace the flashing, use new screws in place of the rusted ones, and tighten the loose fasteners.
Power-wash the surface
Once you are done with the initial phase of the project, it’s time to move to the cleaning phase. In order to remove even the toughest stains, use a power washer to clean your weathered deck. Anyhow, one is expected to be careful when using such a tool, as too much pressure might lead to wood damage. Even if the amount of pressure is not too high, the nozzle has to be used at a fair distance from the boards.
In addition, the pressure amount would depend on the type of wood. For instance, softwoods are supposed to be pressure-washed at 500 to 600 psi, whereas in the case of hardwoods you need to double the pressure, using between 1200 and 1500 psi. If you aren’t a fan of power washing, you can always clean the wood with a cleaning agent and rinse it with a hose.
When using a deck cleaner, it’s important to wear gloves to protect your hands as well as cover all plants on the surface. Some cleaning agents are too strong for the fragile leaves of plants, which is why you need to cover them with plastic sheets.
Sand the surface
Sanding is indispensable for surfaces that are overly rough and damaged by the sun. Hence, owners of weathered decks have no other alternative but to use a sander to make the surface smoother. In order for the outcome to be satisfactory, you have to choose the right sandpaper grit.
Make sure you purchase sandpaper in the 60- to the 80-grit range, which is considered neither too fine nor too coarse but medium. After sanding the surface, use a vacuum cleaner to vacuum the dust. You aren’t supposed to wash it once again to prevent experiencing a contrary effect.
Apply wood stain
Selecting the right wood stain is of tremendous importance in the process, as the stain is expected to improve the appearance of the deck. Weathered surfaces are best painted with a solid stain, as it provides excellent coverage and conceals all discolorations. Opt for an oil-based stain instead of a water-based one, as the former is believed to last longer.
Moreover, you have to invest in high-quality paintbrushes so as to apply the stain in the best way possible. There are plenty of informative sites, such as deckstainpro.com, providing homeowners with professional deck staining advice. These sites offer a myriad of reviews of deck stains and tools for working on such a project.
The surface should be absolutely dry prior to applying a coat of wood stain. Use an applicator to cover a wider area and brushes for the details.
Bottom line
Once you complete the project, you will be stunned by the results.
Give your deck another chance!