how do you strip a deck

^{A Guide to Stripping or Refinishing a Deck}

• Plastic sheets (to cover plants around the deck or porch)
• Goggles
• Rubber gloves
• Rubber boots
• Deck stripper
• Paint roller, paint tray and extension handle
• Hose
Pressure washer Finishing
Random orbital sander (best to rent a good-sized one - don't try to use your hand sander)
80 grit sandpaper
Semi-transparent stain, paint or deck finish
Paint roller
Roller extension handle
Paint tray Stripping and Cleaning Measure the size of your deck so you can figure how much stripper you'll need. ...
All deck strippers can be hazardous. Read and follow the manufacturer's directions and always wear rubber gloves and eye protection to protect yourself from spatters.
Avoid staining your deck in direct sun or in the heat of the day. ...

How do you strip and refinish a deck?

This method works on any kind of decking coating including paint, oil and stain. Before you start, brush any dirt off your deck and place a cover over any plants around it. Put loads of stripper on and work in small sections.

How do you remove deck boards without damaging them?

A majority of decks nowadays are built with screws, which are simple enough to remove with a drill or electric screwdriver. If your deck was built with nails, simply pull out the nails using a claw hammer. Once railings and stairs are out of the way, you can then remove the deck boards.

How do you remove railings from a deck?

If your deck was built with nails, simply pull out the nails using a claw hammer. Once railings and stairs are out of the way, you can then remove the deck boards. Take care when doing this as to not hurt yourself or the wood. Railings, stairs, and deck boards are in high demand due to their versatility.

How do you remove a concrete deck from the ground?

Most decks have concrete feet that are relatively easy to remove from the ground with a shovel and some muscle. If your deck’s concrete footings are too difficult to remove by hand, utilize a Bobcat, backhoe, truck, quad, tractor, etc. to get the job done. The safest way to go, in this case, is to hire a professional to handle this step.

What is the best way to strip a deck?

0:482:23Appearance apply stain stripper with a nylon brush or roller. Only apply state stripper to areasMoreAppearance apply stain stripper with a nylon brush or roller. Only apply state stripper to areas where you want the coating to be removed. Wait 5 to 45.

Is it better to sand or strip wood deck?

Sanding is preferable where less penetration is required and the deck is flat, but the process requires additional labor and time to achieve consistent results. A stripper can often be the best option for larger decks, even though the cost will be significantly higher.

Do I need to strip deck before restaining?

Staining a previously stained deck Quickly peel up the tape. If there are flakes of your stain on the tape, then you will need to strip your deck before restaining.

How do you strip paint off a deck?

Leave the paint stripper on the wood for 15 to 30 minutes or until the paint lifts or bubbles. Apply more stripper as needed to keep it wet during this time, then scrub the softened paint from the wood with a stiff-bristle brush or scrape it off with a paint scraper.

How much does it cost to strip a deck?

Cost To Strip and Stain a Deck If old stain, paint, or sealant has to be stripped, expect to spend $2.50 to $5.50 per square foot for just the flats, and $5.11 to $8.20 per square foot for the entire deck including the rails and spindles.

How do you strip a deck without chemicals?

Tape plastic over nearby siding, cover or wet down bushes and grass around the deck, then spread a heavy coat of stain remover over the stained boards. Scrub off old stain using a stiff brush and deck finish remover. Give the remover 15 to 30 minutes to soften the stain before you scrub. Cover 20 to 30 sq.

Can you use a pressure washer to strip a deck?

The truth is that pressure washing makes it much easier to strip your deck than you may imagine. Keep reading to learn how pressure washing can be the best way to rid your deck of old paint, wood stain, ground-in dirt, and even mold and mildew.

Will pressure washing remove deck stain?

Pressure washing is a quick way to remove a deck finish, but it requires some care so as not to damage the deck. A pressure setting of 1500 psi should be strong enough to clean away deck stain.

How do you remove solid stain from wood deck?

You can remove solid deck stains using a deck stain stripper and a power washer. First, apply a coat of the stain stripper to the solid stained deck boards. Allow it to soften for about 15- 30 minutes. Next, use a pressure washer of 600-1200 psi to wash away the loose solid stains from your deck.

Can I sand the paint off my deck?

You can sand off the paint and the top layer of wood to reveal fresh-looking decking. After sanding the old paint away, you can repaint or seal the deck boards for a new look.

Do I need to remove old paint before painting deck?

You don't need to remove old paint before painting a deck. You only need to remove old paint if it's blistering, cracking, or peeling. Otherwise, the new layer will bubble and peel soon after. If the old paint is still in good shape, paint over it.

What is the best product for stripping paint off wood?

Best for Wood: MAX Strip Paint & Varnish Stripper This option from MAX Strip is free from methylene chloride, NMP, and other caustic chemicals but can still successfully remove paint from wooden items—even layers of paint. It also works on other surfaces, such as metal, tile, glass, stone, and masonry.

When was a guide to stripping and refinishing a deck written?

A Guide to Stripping or Refinishing a Deck. Written by Murray Anderson. on Sep 14, 2011. Spare a moment or two to think about your poor deck. It lives outside in all kinds of weather - the sun bakes it, rain and hail pound on it and snow melts and freezes on it and we won't even mention what birds do to it.

How long does it take for a deck stripper to work?

Roll the stripper onto the deck and let it do its work. Usually about 20 minutes but go by what the directions on the can tell you.

How long does it take to power wash a deck?

Usually about 20 minutes but go by what the directions on the can tell you. A lot of the strippers on the market today claim that you can just wash them off with a garden hose, but the reality is a power washer will do a better job, faster. When the striper has had time to loosen the finish, power wash the deck.

Can you use oil based stain on a deck?

However, while that may have been true in the past, modern water based stains are just as tough as the oil-based stains, and it's much easier to clean up after using a water based stain.

Is it a one size fits all project to remove a deck?

Removing a deck isn't a one-size-fits-all project. There's more than one way to get rid of your deck, just as there's more than one reason to do so. The condition and material of your deck, as well as your desired budget and timetable, all come into play when deciding which deck removal process you're going to choose—do it yourself, ...

Can you get rid of a deck?

Getting rid of your deck doesn’t mean you have to destroy its materials in the process. The lumber used in decks is often valuable and can be reused for a wide range of projects. Not to mention, deconstructing a deck is a job you can finish on your own with some elbow grease and a few basic tools.

Can you remove deck boards?

Once railings and stairs are out of the way, you can then remove the deck boards. Take care when doing this as to not hurt yourself or the wood. Railings, stairs, and deck boards are in high demand due to their versatility. Weathered wood is perfect for all kinds of DIY projects.

How do I get a stain off a deck?

Rinse the residue off with a hose and allow the deck to dry. Use a coarse stripping disc on areas that are heavily discolored or where the stain doesn’t come off. The rough discs work much faster than belt or orbital sanders. They’re available for either angle grinders (the fastest option) or drills (much slower).

How do I remove old stain from a deck?

Scrub off old stain using a stiff brush and deck finish remover. Give the remover 15 to 30 minutes to soften the stain before you scrub. Cover 20 to 30 sq. ft. at a time, keeping the wood wet until the finish is soft enough to be scrubbed off with a stiff brush. Step 2.

How do I make an old deck look new again?

To make an old deck look new again, strip off all the old finish, then clean, recondition and stain the wood.

How do I remove old solid color stain from a deck?

Scrub off the solid color deck stain. First, scrape off as much of the old solid color deck stain as you can with a paint scraper as a deck stripper. As you scrape the wood, reset any nails or screws that stick out from the wood surface. Next, strip the deck with a special deck stain remover (1 gallon covers 100 sq. ft.).

Do you need to scrape a stain before recoating a deck?

At that point, they need to be scraped and stripped off before the deck can be recoated. In this article we’ll walk you through staining a previously stained deck. Read Next.

Common Methods of Removing Paint from a Deck

You can remove paint chemically with paint strippers or mechanically by scraping, power washing, and sanding your deck. Deck-maintenance pros prefer chemical strippers and power washers because they’re much faster and less laborious than using strictly mechanical methods.

Materials Needed

Calculate the square footage of your deck to determine how much paint stripper and how much cleaner/neutralizer to buy. Check your supply of sandpaper and see about renting or borrowing a power washer if you don’t own one. Or, just use a garden hose fitted with a jet nozzle.

Step-by-step Guide to Remove Paint from Deck

Removing paint from a deck is a big chore. Plan your work, stage the materials, and take it one step at a time.

What is the best way to remove paint from a deck?

Sanding and stripping are the two most popular methods of removing a finish from decking and returning it to bare wood. Both techniques can be used for removing paint, weatherproofing or varnish, and each method has distinct advantages and disadvantages.

How long do you leave caustic strippers on a deck?

Caustic Strippers. Caustic strippers are cheaper than solvent strippers, but won’t penetrate as deeply into the deck. They need to be left for several hours to strip off the finish thoroughly before scraping can begin.

When to use strippers on wood?

Strippers should be used if you plan to use a darker stain or finish on the wood once sanding is complete. Sanding is preferable where less penetration is required and the deck is flat, but the process requires additional labor and time to achieve consistent results.

What is the difference between solvent strippers and sanding?

Solvent Strippers. Solvent strippers work far more quickly than sanding and require less effort. Like all chemical strippers, they won’t damage the wood and will clean off the finish into the grain to leave it completely clean. The disadvantage to solvent strippers is that they tend to be expensive, and the larger the deck, ...

What to use after stripping wood?

A neutralizer or brightener should be applied after chemically stripping the wood to restore the pH of the wood. It is recommended to clean any surface you plan to paint, stain, or seal, and a deck is no different. For decks with mold or mildew, a mildewcide cleaner should be used.

How long does it take for a deck to dry?

To avoid stripping or sanding the old stain off your deck, thoroughly clean and rinse it, and then let the wood dry for 24 to 48 hours. Apply the same (or darker) stain color or tint from the same manufacturer. Otherwise, you’ll need to strip or sand the old stain out.

What is the best cleaner for decks?

For decks with mold or mildew, a mildewcide cleaner should be used. Wood that has weathered and grayed will benefit from a restorative cleaner or brightener. An all-purpose deck cleaner with a mild detergent in it to remove dirt, grease, and grime will work for most decks.

Does staining a deck improve its look?

Conclusion. Restaining a deck not only improves its look but can add years of enjoyment to its use. Using the same kind of stain from the same manufacturer saves having to strip or sand the old stain off the boards. Hopefully, you better understand how to prepare and stain your deck, so it looks like new.

Do you have to strip old stain before reapplying?

Removing the old stain before reapplying a new coat isn’t always necessary. If you are applying the same color and brand to the wood, you shouldn’t have to strip the old stain. Using a quality deck cleaner should be all you have to do before reapplying the same stain.