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Deck spinoff - refinishing

Discussion in 'General' started by jksoft, Jul 17, 2020.

  1. jksoft

    jksoft Well-Known Member

    So BigBird's deck thread brings up another question I have been wrestling with in regards to our deck. It is in no danger of falling down but the deck surface of the wood is in pretty rough shape. It is rough and cracking in some places. There are a few planks that probably need to be replaced.

    The problem I have is that we stained it two years ago with what I thought was a quality Cabot deck stain. We brushed it on instead of spraying at the instructions said that was preferable. We prepped it as directed and cleaned it with a deck cleaner and pressure washer. Two years later, you would never even know we stained it except in a few places on the railing. I'm not really sure where we went wrong and I don't want to spend more time and money to have the same results.

    Any suggestions for what product to use? We have looked at some of the resurfacing products that are thicker as it seems like they would help with some of the roughness and make it more pleasant to walk on, but I am concerned at how well it would hold up in the sun. Plus, once applied there is no going back to plain old stain.

    I have also considered just replacing the deck planks as the structure is solid. I would also like to add a pergola at some point to provide some shade as there is little now.
     
  2. ClemsonsR6

    ClemsonsR6 Well-Known Member

    Well stain is like paint....you're supposed to keep up with it about once per year. It will eventually fade and wear off.

    If you want the smoothness back, stain won't do it. You either have to replace the boards with new ones, install trex, or get that thick deck resurfacing stuff that will fill the cracks and gaps to make it smooth.
     
  3. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    Spinoffs are rarely as good as the original series.
     
    BigBird likes this.
  4. jksoft

    jksoft Well-Known Member

    I would have there would be still be some evidence of the stain 2 years later.

    Yeah, I guess these are really two different issues. I wasn't expecting the stain bring back smoothness but was just trying to protect it from getting any worse. I'm wondering if the resurfacing stuff is even worth the money and time to apply it. A friend applied one of those products to his deck and the part under the cover still looks pretty good but the part in the sun looks like crap and has started peeling up. I'm sure not all of the products are created the same though. Since we also plan to add reinforcement under part of the deck to support a hot tub, it might just make sense to re-plank it as well.
     
  5. britx303

    britx303 Boomstick Butcher…..

    Any wood product that’s exterior, is just always going to need some type of frequent maintenance depending on species first, then treatment next. It’s the downside to using wood. A common mistake people make with deck treating, is not coating the underside. The underside will still be exposed to draw in moisture and you cause an imbalance in surfaces creating more movement in the wood altogether, leading to more cracking/checking/warping etc.Pressure washing is nice for cleaning, but it is introducing a mass of moisture all at once, to typically just the top deck side. That doesn’t help in the long run. You could always rent a floor sander to sand the deck surface Instead of PWing it, then stain/seal, but roll a coat on the underside as well.
     
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  6. jksoft

    jksoft Well-Known Member

    You are correct, I did not do anything to the underside of the deck. I had considered the sanding option. Any concerns with all of the dust that would be produced from sanding 15 year old pressure treated lumber? I am not really sure what kind of chemicals would still be present in the wood.
     
  7. Funkm05

    Funkm05 Dork

    We did the “stain every year” game for the first 7 years of our deck. Then we switch over to the deck resurfacer type stuff. It’s almost like an epoxy that goes on. It fills in holes/cracks and smoothes it all out, then it also fully seals it. Only do that one about once every 3 years and it has been holding up GREAT. My deck is 15 years old and is in great shape. And that includes the WI winters up here.
     
    jksoft and BigBird like this.
  8. britx303

    britx303 Boomstick Butcher…..

    Arsenic but its outside And it’s such a low level I wouldn’t worry. Use a dust mask and just keep the kids/wife away while you sand and sweep up after.I’ve never known anyone to have any issues with working with treated lumber for 30-40 years.
     
  9. britx303

    britx303 Boomstick Butcher…..

    Come to think of it, rental floor sanders may have a dust collection attachment
     
  10. jksoft

    jksoft Well-Known Member

    Do you remember which product you used?
     
  11. Funkm05

    Funkm05 Dork

    I’m pretty sure its the Behr Advanced Deck Over. We do the textured, so it’s non-slick, as well.
     
    jksoft likes this.
  12. Hyperdyne

    Hyperdyne Indy United SBK

    One of my family mebers uses that stuff on his deck and it holds up VERY well. I have a deck that's 2 years old and I'm considering going that route simply because I want the deck to last. Honetly, I'd never do another deck unless it was the only option. I much prefer a stone patio. The up front cost is more expensive, but it's once and done.
     
  13. Rico888

    Rico888 Well-Known Member

    ^^^
    Mask up if you will be sanding...just a smart thing to do...
     
  14. Venom51

    Venom51 John Deere Equipment Expert - Not really

    Only as good as the installation. I've seen plenty of failed stone projects.
     
  15. ck.mecha

    ck.mecha Well-Known Member

    Look at the reviews for ReadySeal. Way better than any other sealer I've used, worth the small price premium

    Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk
     

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