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Deck Stain Stripping Questions and Answers
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Topic starter
18/01/2018 5:45 pm
This site has been so helpful to me - a newbie deck owner/maintainer... But now I'm stuck.
I have several smallish decks around the house that were treated with crap Thompson's Water Seal about 5 years ago (not sure exactly which variety). On those decks that get tons of Southern California sun and heat, the Thompson's is pretty much gone. In shaded areas (or under furniture) it's still there in varying states of decay.
On my smallest deck, I've been trying to prep the deck for a new stain (that I chose based on your recommendations - thanks!). It had a combination of space with and without the old sealer. First I tried Restore-a-Deck cleaner. Did a nice job cleaning, but didn't remove the Thompson's. Then I tried Restore-a-Deck stripper. While I didn't pressure wash, I did a lot of hand scrubbing. Some of the Thompson's came off, but most of it didn't.
What do I try next? Will the pressure washer be more effective at removing the Thompson's? Do I need to just give up and sand it all down? In which case, I probably have to sand the whole deck to get a consistent look, right? I'd have to rent a pressure washer or good sander... Do I just need to hire somebody who's got the tools and experience and more muscle than I do? Ack!
Topic starter
20/01/2018 12:43 am
Here are a few pictures of the small area of deck that I've been starting with. Some areas are nice and clean, others have the Thompson's starting to come off. Others are still pretty thick with it (the rectangular area was under a door mat).
Topic starter
27/01/2018 5:45 pm
Thanks for the advice! I might keep trying on my own before hiring a professional. What grit sandpaper?
