DIY Network

Backyard Bonanza, Pt. 3: Refinishing the Deck A backyard gets transformed with an outdoor fireplace, new water feature and a deck facelift. Check out more value-enhancing projects from Sweat Equity. From "Sweat Equity" episode DSEQ-205

The refinished deck

Laura and Jason decide the deck needs to be refinished because splinters are becoming a problem. Refinishing your deck is a simple and inexpensive weekend project that can give your backyard a little boost.

Below is a summary of the basic steps as seen in this Sweat Equity project, as well as a list of materials and tools used and some installation tips.

Materials and tools:

plastic sheets or drop cloths
garden hose
power washer
scrub brush and detergent
narrow tool for cleaning between boards (putty knife, hand saw)
stripper or chemical deck cleaner
stain
sealer
finish
paint brushes, rollers or sprayer

Safety Alerts:

• Never mix cleaning fluids or potentially dangerous or caustic chemicals

• Wear appropriate protection, such as rubber gloves, safety glasses, and a mask, when working with dangerous chemicals.

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C

Refinishing the Deck

Steps:

• First clean the deck. You can either use a spray nozzle on your garden hose or a power washer. Additionally, you may need to scrub the deck with a large brush and a mild laundry detergent, and use a narrow tool, such as a putty knife or small hand saw, to remove debris stuck between decking boards (figure A).

• Sand the deck (figure B). Focus especially in areas where the deck is splintering and on the handrails.

• Stain your deck the desired color, or match your existing stain (figure C).

• Finally, apply a finish to protect the deck. Make sure the finish is water repellant or waterproof, offers UV protection, and has a wood preservative. Finish can be applied with brushes, rollers, or sprayed on.

• Follow all manufacture directions, and reapply as directed, every one to four years.