How to Salvage a Redwood Deck
Ripping down your bedraggled redwood deck and starting again from scratch is hard work and expensive. You can save yourself a small fortune by taking the time to renovate your old decking. After a few days and the application of a little elbow grease, you'll be left with a redwood deck that looks like it's been newly installed. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Power hose
- Knife
- Detergent
- Cloth
- Mask
- Goggles
- Drum sander
- Edging sander
- Hand sander
- Paint roller
- Primer
- Exterior redwood stain
- Claw hammer
- Replacement boards
- Nails
Instructions
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1
Remove dirt, debris and any peeling paint or chipped wood with a power washer.
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2
Run a knife between the deck's boards to remove dirt and debris. Scrub the deck with warm water and detergent using a scrub brush and allow it to dry.
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3
Put on a protective mask and a pair of goggles and sand over the surface of your decking with a drum sander. Use an edging sander to work around the perimeter of your decking. If you need to work on any posts or fencing, use a hand sander.
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4
Wash over your decking with warm water and detergent when you've finished sanding to remove sand particles.
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5
Apply a coat of primer to your decking with a roller. Allow this to dry, and add a second coat. You should use a primer recommended by the manufacturer of the redwood stain you plan to finish your decking with.
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6
Apply a coat of your chosen redwood stain. Use a stain that's water repellent and offers UV protection. Add another coat when your first has dried.
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Tips & Warnings
Use a claw hammer to remove any rotten or damaged boards from your deck. Then, nail replacements into place.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/AbleStock.com/Getty Images
