Looking for Deck refinishing 101


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Old 08-26-12, 03:14 PM
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Looking for Deck refinishing 101

I am planning to refinish my Deck with a Cabot Cedar stain.

I am never really sure how to prepare the wooed.
What should I use to remove the remaining stain?
Also, there are some areas where the wood is kind of "grey". Do I need to do something special to prepare the wood?
 
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Old 08-27-12, 04:45 AM
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I normally, wet the deck with water and then spray a 50% bleach solution on the wood with a pump up garden sprayer, let it set but not dry and then rinse with a pressure washer. A garden hose can be substituted for the PWer. Stubborn areas might need a 2nd treatment and scrubbing with an old broom also helps.

The bleach will normally lighten the grey wood. You can also use a 'wood brightener' - sold where the deck cleaning suppliers are. There are also commercially prepared deck cleaners that are a little more diy friendly. I like a bleach/water solution because it's cheap and effective.

I usually let the condition of the deck after cleaning dictate what type of stain to use. Toners or translucent stains work best on new or new looking decks, solid deck stains are best for older decks where you need to cover a lot of discoloration. Semi-transparent stains are somewhere in the middle. For the most part, semi-transparent and solid stains hold up longer than the translucent stains.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 05:25 AM
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Thanks. Should I use a stripper as the first step? Or will the suggested Bleach be enough to remove the old stain?
 
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Old 08-27-12, 05:36 AM
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If the existing stain is well worn, you shouldn't need a deck stripper. Pure bleach can destroy wood fibers so it's important to not apply a mixture stronger than 50% bleach - and rinse well! Since bleach can also harm vegetation it's a good idea to keep those areas wet with water before, during and after the deck cleaning. That dilutes the bleach/water mixture enough to prevent any damage.

Bleach is very effective at removing mildew [big problem in the S.E.] TSP can be added to the mixture if there are other types of grime that need to be washed off.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 06:17 AM
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What's on there now? What kind of stain do you intend to use? How old is the deck?

While a new deck can look pretty good with a semi-transparent stain, I would use a solid body stain on an older deck.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 07:03 AM
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I have Cabot Cedar. The wood (cedar) is for the most part in good shape. It is about 10 years old, sanded once.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 07:09 AM
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No, not what brand, what kind of stain is it? Semi-transparent, solid body, ....

If the wood is in good shape, a semi-transparent might be ok.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 10:03 AM
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It is sem-transparent. There is a protected area where it is still like new. It shows an orange wodd tone.
 
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Old 08-27-12, 10:08 AM
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That sounds like it will work to me.
 
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Old 02-14-13, 06:32 PM
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Just entered this group and am trying to figure out how to ask a question. I have a 1600 sq ft southern pine deck that I built 3 years ago. I sanded the entire deck before finishing with Cabots (Mahogany Flame), which I have cleaned gently and done the last 2 years after the initial year. Now the finish is starting to get darker and duller and I am trying to determine the best strategy moving forward this year. I only sanded the first year. All experience and ideas appreciated.
 
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Old 02-15-13, 04:38 AM
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Welcome to the forums Gary!

Is this a deck built with PT southern pine? What type of sun exposure does it have?
A pic or two would help us better understand what your deck finish looks like - http://www.doityourself.com/forum/el...-pictures.html
 
 

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