Deck Maintenance – Wash & Repair

If you’re lucky enough to have a deck, you know that spending time outdoors with a cool drink sitting in your favorite deck chair is one of the greatest pleasures of the season. But before you get too relaxed, you first need to make sure your deck is ready for the season. That means you have to properly prepare the area before you can put down a fresh coat of deck stain.

In part 1 of this two-part video, we’re going to show you how to get your deck ready for a fresh new coat of stain. First we’ll show you how to fix some problem areas and then we’ll strip off the old finish and give it a good scrubbing with a power washer. So let’s get started.

In our deck, we have some problem areas that first need to be addressed. Here, you see some rotten deck boards that need to be replaced. There’s no way to fix these boards, so they’ll have to be replaced with new pressure treated, 5/4 deck boards. First remove the old boards by taking out the screws. Then, with the help of a pry bar, remove the boards and set them aside.

The best way to ensure a good fit with the new boards is to mark them in place. Then, cut them with a circular saw. Make sure you’re wearing eye protection for this step. Now, screw the new boards in place using 3” deck screws.

To repair this warped board that is sticking up, we’ll need a couple clamps to hold the piece in position. Then, a couple deck screws will hold it in place.

Now our bench needs a little attention. This will require some 3/8” galvanized carriage bolts, fastened with washers and nuts. First, drill the hole then insert the bolt. Place the washer on, then fasten the nut with a socket wrench. These are relatively easy repairs to make, but if you’re not comfortable making these repairs on your own, you may want to call a carpenter to do the work.

Now that we’ve made the necessary repairs, it’s time to strip the old finish off our deck. First, we’ll protect areas around the deck and on the house by masking these areas with a plastic drop cloth.

First, we’ll sweep the entire surface of the deck with a push broom.

Next, we’ll pour our deck stripper into our garden sprayer following the manufacturer’s instructions. Now we’ll apply a uniform coat of product with a garden sprayer. You can also use a brush or a roller to apply the stripper if you’re concerned about overspray. The trick here is to keep the surface wet. Allowing the solution to stand for 20 to 30 minutes.

When the surface begins to lift, scrub it with a stiff bristle nylon scrub brush.

Now it’s time to rinse area using either a garden hose at the highest pressure setting on the nozzle, or, in our case, a pressure washer. Many local independent home improvement retailers rent these units, so check with them first if you don’t have one.

We’re going to use a pressure washer with a 40-degree tip. This is the right tip for washing a deck and will not damage the wood. Use a pendulum motion and try to avoid starting the water flow on the wood, which can cause lap marks. Also, work in the same direction as the grain of the wood, along the length of the deck boards.

Keep the pressure washer wand close enough to the surface of the deck to wash away the grime that the stripper or cleaner has lifted.

After the deck has been washed, apply a wood brightener, which will neutralize the surface of the wood to ensure that the surface is chemically neutral before the stain is applied. The brightener doesn’t need to be rinsed off.

Well there you have it. Now we’ll let the wood dry for 48 hours before we sand and stain, which will be our next episode. See you back here in a couple days.

If you have questions about this or any other home improvement project, be sure to read our list of Frequently Asked Questions for this video. And be sure to print out our Project Instructions, which includes a Tools and Materials checklist, before visiting your local independent home improvement retailer. That’s where you’ll find all the products and helpful advice to complete your project. If you’re not sure where to find your local store, check out our Store Locator.

Good luck with your project and thanks for watching.

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