How to strip a deck

Josh Richards • Nov 28, 2022

Maintaining your wooden deck to keep it in good order is vital for its appearance and longevity. Your deck looks worse and degrades faster if it is poorly maintained. Many decks owners have taken it upon themselves to do maintenance.

If you also want to revive your old wood surface before applying a fresh coat of stain, you first have to strip off the old coating, stain, or mildew. Let's learn how to remove these substances from your deck and prepare it for a fresh coat. 

Tool & Supplies You Need

Here's a step-by-step guide to stripping the finish off your old deck. Based on the dimensions of your deck, it can be completed in a day or maybe even a weekend.

1. Prepare Your Deck
2. Wet Your Landscaping
3. Cover and protect
4. Prepare Deck stripper
5. Apply Your Deck Stripper
6. Remove The Old Paint Or Stain
7. Rinse it off
8. Neutralize The Deck Stripper
9. Pressure wash the deck
10. Finish it up and enjoy your results

STEP 1: PREPARE YOUR DECK

Ensure your deck is clean by removing any obstructions that could hinder your access to the entire space. It is also essential to look at the weather forecast to ensure that you have the time to finish your deck without rain interruption. Most likely, it's a cloudy and cool day as you don't want your stripper to completely dry throughout the application process.

The next step is to prepare your deck area. This includes protecting the vegetation and covering any surfaces the stripper should not encounter, such as the railings made of metal or glass. We suggest laying down drop cloth that is leak-proof or plastic to protect the surrounding. The area beneath your deck boards might also have to be covered as there may be a drainage issue between the boards.

STEP 2: WET YOUR LANDSCAPING

Before beginning, please use your hose to wet the plants around the area you are working to shield them from the runoff. Although the wood stripper is biodegradable with easy water clean-up, you don't want its high concentration on your plants. 

STEP 3: COVER AND PROTECT

Mostly stripping products require the use of skin, eye as well as lung safety. Wear splash-proof goggles, long pants, sleeves, disposable boots, chemical-resistant gloves, and a respirator or mask. Also, keep some rags and a water bucket handy to clean off stripper that gets on your skin accidentally.

STEP 4: PREPARE STAIN STRIPPER

The first step of any successful project is to read the instructions that come with a product. The instructions on the stripper you are using will tell you the details of its use, including the necessary tools and supplies. Once you've gathered your supplies and prepped the work area, pour the stripper into a pump-up sprayer. Shake it up to mix well. Be careful not to spill or splash the stripper on your skin or clothes.

STEP 5: APPLY YOUR DECK STRIPPER

Spray the stripper evenly onto the deck's surface and let it be left to sit until the stain is lifted. This can take anywhere from 5-15 mins (depending on what stripper you use). It is easy to determine that the paint or stain begins to lift as the coating starts to soften. The stripper can remain on the deck until needed, but don't let the solution get dry. If it begins to dry, you can apply a bit more to keep the deck moist or lightly mist the areas with water if it's drying before you can finish the application or get the desired results. 
Note: It is suggested to always test stripping products on a small area before using them on the whole deck to see if they are effective.

STEP 6: REMOVE THE OLD PAINT OR STAIN

Once the coating has visibly lifted, it needs some friction to remove it from your deck. Check if it starts coming off under your feet, this can be a cue to move on to scrubbing.

Do not rush to remove the coating. Once you can visibly see that it's lifted off, it needs some friction to pull it off from your deck. Check if it starts peeling off under your feet; this is a clue to move on to further scrubbing or washing.

The surface can be agitated using a stiff brush or washer to remove the old stain layer. The broom with a stiff bristle does an excellent job. However, it requires some extra force or pressure. Most of the time, a couple of swift strokes across each board can do the job. You can see the finish coming off a bit like a brown sludge, but after a thorough rinse, you can see that the wood grain is resurfacing.

However, using a brush will require a significant amount of elbow grease, whereas using pressure washers makes the task much less labor-intensive. If you are using the pressure washer, ensure that you don't exceed the pressure to at least 500 PSI (Soft washing). This pressure will permit you to clean away the old coating as it peels off without causing any damage to the wood.

Note: Be aware that many deck stains and paints can run through the vertical cracks that connect deck boards. It is also possible to scrape or scrub railing posts, balusters, or other intricate parts. If the coating previously applied must be removed from those places, this will take additional effort and time.

STEP 7: RINSE IT OFF

After you've brushed and pressure-washed the old coating, rinse and clean your deck with water and let it dry. Suppose you find that the stripped boards still contain a stain/paint. You'll need to repeat the stripping process to deny the bare wood.

Note: If you're planning to stain your deck with a lighter shade than the removed one, it's crucial to ensure the wood has been stripped so that the old coating won't be visible. Whereas, if you're re-coating using a dark stain, it may overcoat the old layer.

STEP 8: NEUTRALIZE THE DECK STRIPPER

After stripping your deck, it's recommended to follow with a wood brightener (neutralizer). Wood brightener is a product that neutralizes the pH of the wood and allows the new finish to stick to it. It also brightens the wood, bringing back its original color of the wood.

We recommend applying this with a basic pump sprayer filled with the correct amount of wood brightener and water according to the instructions. Shake up to mix it. Apply your brightener to the wood and leave it in place for 5 to 15 minutes. It doesn't require a heavy coat. Just make sure you cover each spot where you have applied the stripper.

STEP 9: PRESSURE WASH THE DECK

The next step is to wash the deck thoroughly, and this step is necessary to remove any leftover deck stripper or cleaner. You can pressure wash the wood brightener off with a pressure setting between 1000 and 1100 PSI. Hold the sprayer at about 6 to 10 inches above the surface—Wash stains off using sweeping motions along the direction of the wood grain. Be careful not to spray too much on one section because this will damage the wood.

Check out our guide to learn more about pressure washing. How to pressure wash your deck (Add link here).

STEP 10: ENJOY YOUR RESULTS!

Finally, when your deck has dried and is ready to stain, coat your deck using the stain you like.

Note: When staining wood, it's a good idea to wait 36-48 hours before you begin so that the wood is completely dry. Rain also plays a role in this; if it's cold and cloudy, it will probably take longer for the wood to dry out.

Professional fence staining in Orlando

If you're interested in professional deck & fence staining in Orlando, you should count on Precision Staining LLC. We offer professional deck washing, cleaning, and staining services in Orlando. We can breathe new life into your garden, patio, pool deck, or other exterior wood surfaces with our precise cleaning, power washing, and staining techniques. Call today to get more information!

FAQ
CAN I SKIP THE STRIPPING STEP?

If the stain on your deck is worn out and flaking, the first step to restoring it is to get rid of it. Solid-color staining protects decks made of wood and looks stunning when they're brand new. However, even the most durable solid-color deck stain wears away and fades over time. They need to be scraped and stripped off in this stage before the deck is re-coated.

CAN I JUST USE A PRESSURE WASHER?

In most cases, a pressure washer can eliminate just layers of dirt and molds. It is also an excellent way to remove mildew. But, it is a fast and efficient method to remove the old stain or paint off surfaces when combined with other chemical cleaners.

What are the best stain remover and brightness for decks?

There are several stain strippers to pick from to remove the stain that has worn away from your deck made of wood. Each one of these stain removers has distinct strengths. The highly-rated strippers include; Stain and Seal experts products and Deck Restoration Plus Deck and Wood Stain