Steps To Restore Your Deck To Its Natural Beauty

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No matter where you live, weather can take a toll on your deck. Be it from snow, rain or sunshine, all of these things can damage your deck boards. Doing routine maintenance on it will help, but eventually you may have to do a deck restoration overhaul on your deck to help restore it to its natural beauty. See below for instructions to restore your deck.

Here's What You'll Need:

• Power washer
• Electric sander and sandpaper
• Broom
• Wood primer
• Wood deck paint (or stain)
• Deck rollers
• Paintbrushes

Instructions:

1. First remove everything from your deck and set it far away from your deck (so the water from the power washer and any other debris don't get on it). 
2. Then use your broom to sweep off the entire deck area to remove as much debris as possible. 
3. If your deck has old stain or paint on it, you can use the power washer to remove it. Work from one end of the deck to the other and try not to get the power washing wand too close to the wood. You want to remove the old paint/stain and any mold or mildew, not damage the wood.
4. When finished, the deck boards will feel rough and you'll notice a lot of splinters. You'll need to sand down your deck after power washing (once the deck is dry). Use a power sander to get the entire deck sanded down. Use the broom on your deck again to get rid of any sawdust. If you see any rough spots, sand those areas.
5. Next, you can either use a deck stain to stain your deck or you can prime the deck and paint it using a deck paint that offers a thick coverage.
6. To paint your deck, apply the wood primer using a roller to the entire deck. The primer preps your wood and helps the deck paint adhere to your deck without peeling or cracking.
7. Use the deck paint all over your deck after the primer has dried. It may require a special nylon roller to apply the paint. The special roller will give your deck a textured feel, but you can have a helper follow you with a paint brush to smooth out the paint. Work in smaller, three foot sections and apply it in even coats as you move along. Use a putty knife to get into the spaces between the boards, as the paint can fill in those spaces. The putty knife opens those spaces so your deck looks uniform.
8. Allow the paint to dry and add a second coat if necessary. 
9. The paint will need to cure completely before using your deck. Read the manufacturer's directions to see how much time they recommend.

Restoring your deck properly requires following the steps above. Missing a step can mean the difference in your paint or stain adhering properly to your deck or having to repeat the deck restoring process sooner than necessary.

16 May 2016