How to Sand a Deck to Remove Stains

Sand your deck to remove all imperfections.

Decks are luxury additions that come with new homes or are built on later. Decks come in all different shapes, sizes and colors. With all that color and all of the use you will put on the deck, stains are inevitable. You must sand all the stains off and re-stain the deck to successfully remove all stains and make your deck look presentable again. This process is not difficult, but it is tedious.

Things You'll Need

• Hand sander
• 80- 180- and 260-grit sandpaper
• Broom
• Dust pan
• Trash can
• Stain
• Sealant
• Polyester or nylon brushes

Instructions

1. Put the 80-grit sandpaper on the sander. The 80 grit is the coarsest of the sandpaper you'll use and should remove all imperfections on the outer most layer of the wood.

2. Sand the entire deck with the 80-grit sandpaper, moving in a circular motion moving with the grain of the wood. Sand over the entire surface of the deck to begin creating a clean pallet for restaining and refinishing the deck. Change the sandpaper disc as often as needed to complete this step. Change the sandpaper when all the grit has worn off.

3. Repeat sanding the deck with the 180-grit first and then the 260-grit sandpaper discs. Each finer grit of sandpaper removes the underlying imperfections and stains on the wood. Change the sandpaper discs by turning the sander off, pulling off the current disk, removing the backing on the next disc and placing the new disk on the hand sander. The sandpaper discs typically come with an adhesive backing so that they will not move when placed on the sander. Most sanders come with clips to hold the sandpaper disc on them as well, so make sure you secure the clips if your sander comes with them.

4. Sweep the deck to remove all saw dust and debris from the deck to prep the deck for staining. You might need to sweep the deck more than once. A straw broom is the best kind of broom to use for this particular project.

5. Stain the deck with a wood stain. Several different brands and colors of stain are on the market, so you can choose how dark or light you want your deck. Apply the stain with a paint brush. Nylon or polyester brushes are best for this kind of project because they are easier to clean afterwards and provide a smooth, even coat at the same time. Stain the deck by dipping your brush into the stain and wiping off any dripping stain on the side of the container. Move with the grain of the wood and apply an even coat. Repeat with another coat of stain if the stain is not as dark as you would like or if it needs one more coat of coverage after 24 hours of applying the first coat.

6. Select an exterior grade sealer or clear coat, which is a simple clear paint of polyurethane. Follow the same instructions to apply the clear coat as described for staining. The only difference is the deck requires at least two coats of polyurethane for optimal coverage, sealing and protective properties.

Tips & Warnings

• If, after using the 260-grit sandpaper, you feel that the wood needs a bit of a finer sanding, use a 480- or 520-grit sandpaper to finish the sanding job on the wood.

References

• House Painting Info: Deck Sanding Is an Essential Step