RESTORE A SHABBY SURFACE
Even if you stain or seal your wood deck, the boards can still crack and splinter, making the surface look old and worn. That’s where deck paint restoration products come in, if you’re up to doing some handiwork.
These coatings are thick enough to fill all cracks, knotholes and splinters in your deck. They provide a new textured surface that can last more than a decade without additional applications. And, as icing on the cake, you can do the prep work in one day, then apply the coating over a two-day period the following weekend.
1 MAKE SMALL REPAIRS
Break off any large splinters. Then reset any protruding nail heads, or remove them and secure the boards with deck screws instead. Be sure you have replaced any bad boards with new decking (follow the process outlined on pg. 15).
As you tighten any screws that have backed out, they may break off. If this happens, pull out and replace the old screws.
2 PREPARE THE DECK FOR PAINTING
Use an orbital sander with 80-grit sandpaper on any old paint or finish that’s peeling or chipped. If you’ve applied a solid stain or clear sealer and then covered areas of the deck with planters or furniture, those sun-shielded areas must be sanded to rough up the surface.
3 CLEAN THE DECK
Dilute the manufacturer’s recommended deck cleaner, apply it and let it soak in for the recommended time. Then scrub the entire deck with a stiff scrub brush and extension handle.
Pay attention to any greasy areas; get all the grease off. Then power-wash the deck to remove ground-in dirt and loose stain. Aim the nozzle into the board gaps to clean them out as well. Be careful: Too strong of a stream can damage the wood’s surface.
4 MASK OFF THE HOUSE
Before applying the restoration product, let the wood dry completely and mask off any surface you want to protect from the paint, such as siding or bushes.
5 START WITH THE RAILING
Stir the coating and begin coating the railings. Start with the balusters and the posts, then move to the rail. At this stage, also cut in the coating into the corners of the deck at the base of the posts and balusters.
6 ROLL ON THE DECK COATING
Use a roller screen made to hang onto the side of the 5-gallon bucket to limit unwanted drips as you roll the coating right from the bucket onto the deck boards. Then lift, reload and do the next section.
7 BRUSH THE COATED BOARDS AND FILL GAPS
Roll the entire length of the deck boards a few rows at a time. Once you’ve rolled a few rows of boards, switch to a 6-in. stain brush and glide it over each of the coated boards, all the way across in one stroke. A brush with a threaded handle can be attached to an extending paint pole so you can reach into the corners.
As you’re rolling, take notice of areas the coating doesn’t fill in completely. If you come across any knots, nail holes or cracks that aren’t filling up, load up a brush and drip it in to fill the gaps.
8 ROLL ON A SECOND COAT
Clean up with soap and water and let the first coat dry for three to six hours, or until dry to the touch. Apply the second coat using the same method. Then let the deck dry for two full days before walking on it. For the longest-lasting result, clean the coating in the spring and fall using the manufacturer’s recommended cleaner.
Note: You probably won’t like the look of the first coat. Don’t worry—the second coat is the “magic coat” that fills in all the gaps and provides the smooth texture you saw at the store.