First post so be gentle...

I've seen plenty of helpful deck prep sites but nothing really gets into detail with the questions that I have.

I bought a CH powerwasher and and started powerwashing the deck.

My question is...
It doesn't completely get the redwood paint off. Is that OK?
Is the logic to just get the most paint off I can without harming the wood and then primer it and paint?

Also... Do I NEED to primer the deck or can I go over it with 2 coats of the stain?

What type of primer should I use.
I purchased the cedar color opaque stain without knowing I had to primer the deck. Should I use any latex exterior primer from lowes or should I get some kind of water sealer or something.

Another question... Walmart has a 5 gallon exterior latex primer about $30 cheaper than the Lowe's brand. Does the primer really matter if it's going to be painted over anyways?

Once I'm finished with the power washing, how many days do I have to let the wood dry in order to prevent peeling paint in the future?

Would spraying the paint give me any problems or is brush and roller always the best way to paint decks?


Any help or answers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.
~ First time exterior painter.

 

First off, I'm slightly confused as to what is on the deck now, and what you wish to apply.

If you have paint on there now, then a stain will not look right if applied. The paint is in the pores of the wood, and the stain won't penetrate evenly, and it will appear blotchy and very uneven.

If its stain on there now, then stain can be applied on top.

If its stain you want to apply, then don't prime it. A primer will do exactly as paint does, effectively sealing the surface so the stain won't be able to penetrate and......stain the wood.

 

The deck is painted redwood that's weathering.

I power-washed as much of the redwood as I can off.
The stain I have is an opaque deck stain (cedar color).
I'm asking do i need to primer it or can I apply 2 coats of paint?

Also how do I get some of the feathers off (caused by the pwoer washer)?
Do I have to sand them off?

 

Anyone else with any input?

 

Sorry, I'm still confused as you are contradicting your self.
First you say:
Then you said:
Stain and paint are two completely different products. Which do you have?

 

If you have Painton the deck now and want to apply a stain over it you need to strip the paint off first. My guess is you are referring to paint and stain here as the same. If you have a solid or opaque stain on now and are reapplying stain you do not have to strip. If you do have to strip I use Wolmans Deck Stripper. My guess is you are reapplying relatively the same product, that being a solid or opaque redwood stain. In which case don't worry about removing everything with the pressure washer treatment. And forget about priming. The only need you might have to prime would be if you have specific spots of tannin bleed which I doubt because thats more common a problem with siding. Those are primed with oil primer and not latex. Use a high quality Stain that has at least an 8 year warranty. Then yes give it two coats of stain after the wood has dried out for a couple of days. Stain and paint are very different. Solid color stain might look like paint but chemically there very different, never use paint on a deck. As for the nubs or feathers , sand them off lightly . I always use a good quality deck brushes for applying stain.

 

I'm sorry I'm only talking about stain here. (I assumed)

Redwood opaque stain is on now (Don't know if it's oil or latex)
I'm pressure washing it to go a totally different cedar color opaque latex stain.

So I don't have to use primer?
Any suggestions on sanders? I don't want to have t obend down on my knees to do 2 entire decks.

Are there any broom type sanders available?
So I can push sand the deck and get the feathers off?

 

You might want to try some 80 grit paper on a pole sander. It will probably be hard to feather out edges with a pole sander, it is made for large, flat areas.