Deck Restoration: Top 5 Solutions for a Shabby Deck

Solution 1: Clean & Refinish

The basics of refinishing a deck are pretty straightforward: Strip, clean, stain, repeat. It’s a tough chore that might take you several days to complete, one you’ll have to do every few years to keep your deck looking great. But all that hard work has a huge payoff! When you’re finished, your all-wood deck will look almost as good as it did the day it was built. 

Before you get started, consider using a pressure washer, which will do a great job of cleaning your deck and stripping old finishes. They’re available as gas or electric models and vary widely in price—anywhere from $70 to $1,000 at home centers. You can also rent one for about $80 per day. You can get the job done without a pressure washer, but it’s a real time and labor saver.

Here are a few more of Saltzman’s top tips for refinishing a deck:

• Clean thoroughly with a deck cleaner. You need to remove all dirt and mildew before doing anything else.
• Let it dry completely before applying any products.
• Sand splintered spots and loose paint or stains.
• Use a quality brush or pad applicator for stain or sealer to avoid lap marks and get even coverage.

Solution 2: Deck Restoration Coatings

Deck restoration coatings are acrylic-based and go on like really thick paint. You’ll need to apply two coats. Once dry, they form a coating similar in appearance to composite decking. But a word of caution about these products:

We found many online complaints and even some reports of lawsuits related to peeling of deck coating products not long after application. It’s very important to follow deck preparation instructions from the manufacturer, which might include power washing and application of a primer coat. The bottom line? Read the manufacturer’s instructions before use and contact the company directly if you have questions or concerns about whether it’ll work for your particular situation.

Solution 3: Replace the Deck Boards

It’s not the easiest option, but replacing your wooden deck boards with synthetic decking (composite decking or PVC) might be your best investment, in both time and money. In just a few weekends and with basic carpentry tools, you can have a stunning deck that looks brand new and will look great for many years.

Costs vary widely for synthetic decking, but expect to pay anywhere from $5 to $10 per square foot. Be warned, however, that synthetic decking requires closer spacing of joists and stair stringers (maximum 16 in. apart), so you might have lots of framing to do. It also requires careful planning and heavy DIY labor. You’ll need a building permit and inspection, then you’ll have to tear off the old decking first, which is a huge job and requires a dumpster for all the old material.

Solution 4: Deck Tiles

Think of this option as a slipcover for your deck. Instead of ripping out or recoating your old deck boards, you place new wood or synthetic decking right over your old deck. Several companies make tiles out of composite or exotic types of woods, like ipe, that you just lay down and snap together. Plastic grids underneath the tiles allow for airflow, which helps prevent wood rot.

Solution 5: Exterior Floor Covering

DeckRite is a sheet material that comes on a roll, much like sheet vinyl flooring. It basically turns your old deck into an outdoor floor with no gaps in it and creates a watertight roof for the area beneath your deck. As long as your old deck boards are at least 5/4 thick and structurally sound, you can screw 1/2-in. pressure-treated plywood right over it and stick the flooring membrane on top.

If the deck is really big, it might require multiple sheets, and you’ll need to rent a hot air welder from DeckRite to deal with the overlapped seams. Cost is about $6 per sq. ft. for all the materials you’ll need, and here is some more helpful information about installing an exterior floor covering.

FAQ

What’s the difference between stain and sealer?

“A deck stain adds color and helps block UV rays,” Saltzman says. “A sealer is clear and focuses solely on moisture protection.” Some products combine both a stain and a sealer, he notes, which can be a great way to save money and time on labor.

How do I choose the right deck stain?

“If the goal is to enhance the wood’s natural look and protect it from sun and water, a semi-transparent stain with sealer built in is usually a safe bet,” Howard says. Since all stains will help protect your deck from UV rays, the ultimate choice will come down to personal color preference.

Expert

Reuben Saltzman is a second-generation home inspector and the CEO of Structure Tech Home Inspections in Maple Grove, Minnesota. He is also a Director for The Examination Board of Professional Home Inspectors (EBPHI) and teaches home inspector seminars across the U.S.