Is it best to sand a deck first then power wash or power wash first and then see what is left to clean up?
I have a deck that had redwood color paint on it that has pretty much all stripped off. I would like to get the rest off and maybe paint to match my house color. Also what is the best paint to use for a deck to be more durable.
2 Responses
SteveN
05 Jan 2011
Phisherofsouls
05 Jan 2011
Power-wash, let dry, then sand. The power-washer will bring up the grain in the deck making it rougher and the sander will bring the high and rough points down again making for a smoother walking surface. As far as paint I would use a Cabot’s deck stain. Cabot’s was developed in main where paints and stains have to hold up to constant and crazy weather. Best stuff around, time-tested.
Power washing is to get the dirt and grime off to prep for a new coat of paint or stain, or prior to treating the deck with a water sealant.
In your case, I don’t think power washing would really help you, unless the deck is excessively dirty. If you have mud or dried dirt on the wood, or birds have chosen to roost and leave bird poo on parts of it, then by all means, give it a nice power wash so that you have nothing that should not be there.
Sanding is probably what you really want to do. If the paint has peeled or worn off, sanding the areas that you plan to repaint will clean off any excess grime and weathered paint, allowing the new paint to adhere better.
Be sure to sand and paint the deck only after you’ve had a few days of dry sunny weather. If the old deck paint has stripped, it probably has allowed moisture to get into the wood, softening it.
If you paint over that wood and it is still wet inside, the moisture will get stuck and as it warms up, cause the paint to blister and bubble, and you’ll have flakes in no time, no matter how good the paint was.
So the approach I’d take:
1) Powerwash any excess mud or droppings off the deck. Let dry on a sunny warm day, preferably two days.
2) Sand the dried wood to get off excess flakes and stains that may have developed and help the new paint adhere better.
3) Use a Shop-Vac to remove any dust on the deck wood caused from the sanding.
4) Buy paint specifically designed for decks and high traffic areas, especially for the floor boards.
If I had a paint to suggest, I’d recommend Behr products, as they seem to go on well and last longer than some of the others I’ve used.