How Do You Renovate A Weathered Deck?
Within a year or two, the sun’s ultraviolet radiation makes the wood on most decks turn some degree of gray. This color change affects only a very thin top layer of the wood, so it doesn’t compromise your deck’s strength and durability. If you want to brighten up your deck’s appearance, though, here are some things you can do. Clean your deck thoroughly, following the steps outlined in How to Remove Deck Stains. Regular cleaning alone will do a lot to keep up your deck’s looks. Check your deck boards for rot, splintering, long cracks, cupping and twisting. Replace any decking that has serious structural problems (see How to Replace Damaged Deck Boards). Sand the deck if needed to smooth rough spots or remove old stain. Use a belt sander for spot sanding or a floor sander for an entire deck. Make sure all nail heads are below the surface or the sandpaper will catch and tear. Begin sanding across the wood’s grain, then diagonally, and finish by going with the grain. To brighten a newly c
