How to Restore a Weathered and Sun Damaged Deck

43Comments

What strength of pressure washer was used on this deck repair? Thank you!

May 12, at 6:30pm

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recover a deck/like your site

John Karanikas

Feb 1, at 10:27pm

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I refurbished my deck and it is great. I want to keep it up this year. Do I use the sprayer to get the residue off and reapply any cleaning products to protect it and keep it great. It was a huge deck and I want to enjoy it this year again. People rave about it. Thanks for the information and video

kay

Jan 27, at 4:04pm

43Comments

Hi Linda,

Please see the response to Pat's question. It will provide you with the answers you need.

Emily Lyman

Ron Hazelton Team

Emily Lyman

Nov 7, at 8:18pm

43Comments

Hi Bobby,

You might want to try using a power sprayer to remove old stain. It may help.

Emily Lyman
Ron Hazelton Team

Emily Lyman

Nov 7, at 8:18pm

43Comments

Hi Kay,

Please see the response to Pat's question. It will provide you with the answers you need.

Emily Lyman
Ron Hazelton Team

Emily Lyman

Nov 7, at 8:17pm

43Comments

Hi Pat,

Ron asked me to send you this response.

Thanks for writing – good questions. There are two basic types of sealers: water-based and oil-based (linseed and tung oil are commonly used). When colored pigments are added, these, usually clear, sealers become “stains”.

Sealers work by slowing down water penetration and thereby reduce the swelling and contraction that occurs when wood gets alternately wet and dry. Frequent and excessive expansion and contraction is a major contributor to checking, cracking and warping. For the most part, I think the
terms “waterproofing” and “weatherproofing” are used interchangeably.
Some products may adopt the weatherproofing label because they have
added UV filters (metal oxides) that help prevent sunlight from breaking
down the cell structures in wood.

While water-based sealers/stains continue to improve, I still have a
preference for oil-based versions. There are many competing brands on
the market, among which you’ll find good products. One of my favorites
is Duckback, although it tends to be a bit more pricey.

I do not recommend solid stains for decking as they are apt to show wear
patterns from heavy foot traffic. Unlike paints, stains tend to be less
resistant to rubbing and scuffing. I think you’d be happier, in the
long run, with a semi-transparent product.

Hope this helps.

Emily Lyman

Nov 7, at 8:15pm

43Comments

Great video. I did notice however that a neautralizer was not called for after the cleaning. Possible the sealer acted as a neautralizer for the chemicals that were used in Cleaning the deck?

Ive written my explanation on Deck Restoration at this address:

http://seattleroofcleaners.com...

Seattle Deck Restoration

Nov 3, at 4:45pm

43Comments

Could not access the video. It said that the server was not found.

PDT

Oct 4, at 10:24am

43Comments

Great insight and amazing results, I would have never expected that result, I have actually used a similar handmade tool(boards in the shape of a fork) for straightening twisted floor joist boards.. But this is definitely a money saver considering what you would spend to replace the deck. I hope to be able to do this on a soon to be new property me and my dad are purchasing, it has warped and discolored boards on the porch

Matt

Aug 17, at 6:56pm

43Comments

I recently embarked on a deck repair project. Our boards were severely cracked and originally anchored with nails. My sons pried the old boards off and we then turned them over and re-anchored with Deckmate coated screws. The bottom sides were for the most part smooth and far better. Saved buying several hundred dollars worth of wood but I did have to drop 200 on screws alone.

Mark

Jun 30, at 8:43am

43Comments

My computer does not do video well. I could not find "read article".

Bob

Jun 18, at 1:02pm

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Loved your video on restoring an old deck. However, it would be helpful to know the kind of wood that was used in the construction. Diffferent types of wood, (redwood for instance) might require a different type of sealer than would pine or cedar

Ted McHenry

Jun 6, at 1:01am

43Comments

Great video!!! but can i paint or stain afterwards? if so, how long afterwards?

john graham

Jun 4, at 8:58pm

43Comments

hay Ron; thanks for the video on restoring a deck. I was just going to rip out this deck that we have and put in a new one. but i an going to thy this deck repair and cleaning first, and maybe save some money in the process. dan queenen vcsbusman@yahoo.com

dan queenen

Jun 4, at 7:17pm

43Comments

ron,a great simple fix to get a little more life out of that old deck.what would be the best way to remove many coats of old paint ? i have scraped and used sand paper but you can always see these areas when you repaint

bobby nidiffer

Jun 4, at 3:58pm

43Comments

Can I paint my deck after cleaning it, rather than sealing it? Thanks for the video! This was very helpful!

Linda

Jun 4, at 10:37am

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Hi ron I did my deck every year for forteen years ,deck,steps and railings.Also put a stain on it .It was bigger then the one you did ,it cost me with the pressure washer about 50 bucks a year .When it was done it looked just great.I liked the 2by4 lever to straighten the deck boards.Have a nice day Ron

Leo Szwiec

Jun 4, at 6:23am

43Comments

The woman looked and sounded like she was disappointed that the deck was not replaced. I think the finished product was just great considering the cost difference and time to complete is factored in. Your choice was the better choice and a learning experience for me and I'm sure others. Thanks Ron.

mike

Jun 3, at 11:12pm

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Thanks for fixing the video link so quickly! I love your Instructions and tips. Use so many as I'm the only person that works on my house at 66. So things like the fulcrum become so important, simple and cost saving for me. If I don't need the instructions, I ck them out anyway as it turns out down the road I need them...and either remember what u said to do or know where to go to get the stats for the project. Please keep up the good work and for helping us so much.

TamiTeneuli

Jun 3, at 10:59pm

43Comments

i look forward to your sunday tips you gave me quite a scare when it did not show up One does not realize how much enjoyment you get until you no longer have it i will never take you for granted again keep it up you almost gave me the BIG one

wayne harej

Jun 3, at 9:42pm

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I had to do the same thing to a ceadar deck I had in the back of my home. It was all grey but after I got done it was beautiful after I got done...

Ernie

Jun 3, at 8:11pm

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the vedio of the deck resurface tell them to level thier a/c unit and it will most likely work alot better

jack

Jun 3, at 7:14pm

43Comments

what type of sealer,brand name, did you use? I would like to use water based product. Thanks Ron!

greg skrzypiec

Jun 3, at 6:40pm

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QUESTION: I WANT TO CLEAN AND THEN STAIN MY DECK AND RAILS...WOULD I STAIN FIRST AND THEN APPLY THE SEALER? IS THERE A STAIN PRIMER OR ALL IN ONE? THANKS FOR ALL YOUR HELPFUL TIPS..ENJOY YOUR VIDEOS..

PAT

Jun 3, at 6:17pm

43Comments

I have fixed a number of decks for people on a fixed income and kept the cost down as you did in your showing. I like the idea of the fulcrum board you used to twist the bent boards and I am sure I will apply it in the future. I have bleach treated as you have done, also sanding and even turning the (still good) board over to make it look better. I will pulled up any nails that are showing (easy outs) above the wood and always replaced with treated screws used for outside and treated wood decks. The finish treatment would be with a mixture of 50% linseed oil, (for wood enrichment/nourishment)(slows down the splitting, warping and rain penetration), and a 50% redwood,(or cedar) coloring with water sealer. I find this give the wood a nice rich tone that last for years. Customers love the look/work and I get lots of referrals. As needed, my new found friends, can easly re-apply the two mixtures by re-spraying in no time at all.

Dave

Jun 3, at 6:08pm

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I've got a deck that's in as bad or worse shape than this. The grain has actually opened up. Will this work on a very poor deck? Thanks,

Ed Shankle

Jun 3, at 5:39pm

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Thanks Ron for showing me that my decks and walkway still have hope. When are you coming to my house? A loyal & always educated fan!

Jayne

Jun 3, at 4:40pm

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In regards to Phil's comment about your video dwnld I agree and I have DSL. It's very annoying with the interuptions. Pause doesn't help as before. Would be great if you could fix it. I enjoy your site very much. Thanls. Mike

MikeM

Jun 3, at 3:38pm

43Comments

Good point, Darryl. It's just that some of those nails were still gripping the joists like a grizzly on a T-bone. Getting them out would not only have been a real wrestling match, but would, most likely, have resulted in damage to the deck boards.

Ron Hazelton

Jun 3, at 2:12pm

43Comments

I like this video but I wish you had shown what sealer you use. Thompsons blisters up and peals like a sunburn as the deck boards get too hot to walk on barefoot, and I tried boiled linseed oil last year but that didn't last long as the water is again soaking in this spring. I hope you can tell me what sealer to use. thanks

kay

Jun 3, at 2:06pm

43Comments

Great job Ron. However, I would have replaced all of the nails on the entire deck with screws. They hold so much better, and hold tight longer that nails ever will.

Darryl

Jun 3, at 2:00pm

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I do this, as one, of many professional services offered by my company. Reading the label on the bottle of most good deck cleaning agents you will learn to apply liberally to a dry surface, not wet, then let soak about 15minutes then wash. Also sealer applied without allowing a proper drying time is a major NO NO, especially after using a power washer which actually penetrates the surface of the wood you are cleaning . Finally a splash test is intricate in figuring out if you've actually applied enough sealer to actually protect your deck.....AND Ron as a contractor performing this service professionally and afford-ably for my paying customers, you flashing a cost figure into your video is completely disgusting and wrong, especially since cost will vary from area to area and from deck to deck and your number looks far fetched as a number for materials at that! If your gonna post these videos do them properly and thoroughly so folks can have all the details!

Richard C Cooke

Jun 3, at 12:49am

43Comments

What about splintered boards, can those be fixed? Also, have you ever used the product Restore? Thinking about coating my deck with this, because of so many splintered boards.

Jean

May 18, at 8:33am

43Comments

hello there linda this is the site address , they have 30% disc at the moment , tell them dartinsy give you there number

garydarten

May 8, at 3:30pm

43Comments

Tons of great info. Our new low cost solution is our Magic Deck PVC Deck cover. Feel free to look at our before/after photos on our Googe+ page. Please let me know your thoughts. We are installing for $10 a sq ft. We replace framing, deck boards as needed and secure any loose boards with stainless steel screws as well (up charge). We are looking for partners all over the county. https://plus.google.com/u/0/b/117081733754114632526/photos/117081733754114632526/albums/5735517006636656337

Vincent Forte

Apr 25, at 10:31pm

43Comments

I thought this video was very well presented, and certainly made the project very much a "diy" project, especially for those of us who do not do many diy projects! Thank You! One question, other deck refurbishing suggestions include sanding the deck. What is the difference between this approach and yours? Thanks, again, Mark

Mark

Apr 3, at 2:40pm

43Comments

ktykik

kl,lgkl,

Mar 18, at 8:25pm

43Comments

I always found that this helped me when fixing my deck http://howtofixstuff.blogspot.com/2012/01/how-to-build-deck.htmll

Eddie

Jan 27, at 6:37pm

43Comments

Frank, try this article for project steps. http://ronhazelton.com/projects/how_to_wash_and_renew_a_wood_deck

John McLeod

Aug 3, at 11:38am

43Comments

What happened to the article that included all the steps? I read through it the other day and now can't find it. The video doesn't help when I'm outside working on the deck. The article was a good reference....

Frank

Aug 3, at 11:21am

43Comments

Ron, this episode really helped me think-through and get extra-motivation to do maintenance on my home's deck. Big thanks! Bill

Bill

Aug 3, at 10:51am

43Comments

Ron, I like your ideas for this deck project. I find them, like most of your suggestions, most helpful. The problem I have is with your new site. On the down load of the video I find it slow, yes I have dial up. But on the old site when I would view a project, I would start the video and put it in the pause mode, and wait a few minutes to let the down load get ahead of the play back and then I would restart it and could see the program pretty much non stop. Now when I hit pause it appears the pause stops the whole down load and the interuptions are very annoying. It isn't a pleasure to watch the video any more. I think this is on your end, nothing is different on my end. I still have the same equipment. I hope you can fix this. Thank You, Phil

phil

Jul 10, at 6:10pm

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How to Restore a Weathered and Sun Damaged Deck