First step, determine how old the finish is, or if there even is finish on the deck. If the deck is completely gray in color, it most likely does not have finish. If there is half gray, and half color from the finish, it should be treated as needing to be stripped completely.

If the finish is only a year or two old, then you can skip steps 1 and 2 and go straight to the “Clean It and Brighten” It step. Alright, now that we’ve got a starting point, let get to work!

Strip It

• The product we recommend to strip your deck is Biowash.
• Pour the deck stripper and pour it into a 5 gallon bucket.
• Then apply Biowash stripper liberally using a weenie roller. DO NOT let it get on any finish that you don’t want removed. (Use blue tape mask painted or areas that you don’t want removed.)
• Let it sit for 30-40 minutes, and then wash the material off with a pressure washer.
• Let it dry for a day.

Sand It

• Next you’ll want to get a vibrating floor buffer (you can rent these at most rental yards).
• Use a sanding mesh rather than sandpaper. The sandpaper will build up with debris faster than mesh. Use the sanding mesh if possible!
• Sand the deck until you have a new wood color or look. (The better you strip, the less sanding you will have to do.)
• Basically what this does, is it raises the grain which allows your staining product to go into the woods pores.

Clean It and Brighten It

• The product we recommend is called Dekswood Cleaner and Brightener from Flood.
• This is a product that you need to dilute. Make sure to follow directions on the can. I usually do a 4-to-1 ratio (4 gallons water / 1 gallon Dekswood)
• Apply liberally with a bug sprayer.
• Once applied, you need to keep the deck moistened so the material doesn’t dry out. Moisture allows the chemical to work. If there is no moisture, this will not work.
• Apply the moisture by using a pressure washer. Do not start the pressure washer, simply run wather through it using the normal water pressure to apply the moisture. In other words, this allows you to apply moisture WITHOUT rinsing the material off of your deck. DO THIS FOR 40 MINUTES!
• Next, use the pressure washer, setting a wide fan tip and remove the material.
• At this point you should start to see the color unify and look cleaner and brighter.

Apply Deck Finish.

• There are many different types of staining and natural finish products on the market, my favorite is In-Wood stain.
• Stain with a darker pigment helps to protect against UV rays.
• Apply one coat In-Wood stain. The stain should be applied with a long handled sponge applicator.
• Let it dry. Depending on the weather, it may take a couple days to cure out.
• Note: for hardwood decks, use Teak Oil and apply 4-6 liberal coats.

Enjoy Your Brand New Deck

• Setup deck furniture.
• Invite friends over to enjoy your new deck.
• Break out the ice chest.
• Fire up the barbeque!

As sidenote, you shouldn’t use Trex for a composite deck. If you are inclined to avoid yearly maintenance, and are looking for a wood alternative, then we highly recommend Timber Tech.

If you’re in Central Oregon, and would like our deck refinishing services, please contact Hulls Construction at 541-312-2344!

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