Health Fitness

Stripping your wooden deck

If you want to lighten or add a different stain to your deck’s hardwood floor, stripping might be the solution. Instead of replacing your entire deck floor with a light-colored hardwood, you have this inexpensive alternative. The good news is that you can easily pickle it yourself by following these five easy steps.

Before you begin, prepare plenty of sandpaper and absorbent (lint-free) rags, a wide brush, a bristle brush, a wool wax applicator, and enough stain and paint for the entire deck floor. For toluene or alcohol based varnishes, protect yourself from toxic fumes with a mask. Oil-based paint is easier to use on your deck because it takes longer to dry. If you want latex for the deck, dilute it in paint thinner at a 25/75 ratio. Stick to flat finishes, as the gloss tends to overshadow textured deck wood. For larger decks, use a power sanding device. Otherwise it would take forever to finish the whole deck.

1. Remove the existing finish from your deck flooring. Be careful when using the power sanding device as it could chip or damage the deck floor. Sand the deck in hard-to-reach spaces. Once the finish is completely removed, the deck surface may be too rough for you. Use fine sandpaper to make it smoother. Clean thoroughly afterwards. Be sure to vacuum the entire deck, especially the corners, to ensure a clean paint job.

2. Paint the terrace. Evenly spreads the paint on the wood. Don’t worry about the address, as that won’t matter later. Let the cover dry for 20 to 60 minutes.

3. Using the rags, wipe off the paint in circular motions. The amount of paint you rub in will determine how light the deck stain will be. Smooth out any clumps of paint with the bristle brush.

4. Smooth deck floor with power sanding device and sandpaper. Remember to get rid of all the sawdust before moving on to the next step.

5. Apply a couple of coats of varnish to finish. Don’t forget to use the non-yellowing varnish mask. Use the wax applicator to achieve a polished veneer.

Remember that the colors you choose will blend with the original color of the deck floor, acting like a sheet of colored cellophane. White paint on cedar will give it a pink hue. If blue paint was used, it would look purple. Different varnishes also affect outdoor flooring in different ways. Oil or polyurethane varnishes can darken wood and make it yellow over time.

Get creative with colors and have them complement or contrast with the rest of your deck. That’s pretty much the 5-step process to stripping your wood deck.