How to Restore a Deck – 3 Tips from Professional Home Deck Builders

Are you tired of looking at your worn out deck?

All those cracks and splinters on your deck can affect the overall look and vibe of your home.

The good news is that you don’t have to call home deck builders for a complete replacement or build a deck from scratch.

Investing in a composite decking involves quite a large chunk of cash. A more affordable solution comes in the form of deck paint restoration.

Home Deck Paint Restoration – What’s Up with It?

The fastest, easiest, and most cost-effective way to restore your deck is to use deck paint restoration coatings.

You’ll find New Orleans home deck builders recommend this route to homeowners who want to save a boatload of cash and revamp their outdoor living space at the same time.

These coatings can cover knotholes and splinters, providing a brand new look that can last for over a decade.

It’s worth noting that despite being easy, using deck paint restoration coatings still requires a lot of time and effort.

To make sure that you get things right the first time, keep reading to learn expert-approved tips for restoring your deck.

Step 1: Choose the right deck covering option

Doing a quick online search is all you need to find deck covering options.

But not all are created equal. You need to learn each brand’s surface preparation requirements.

Some deck paint restoration coatings are also thicker than others. You’ll even find coatings that are 10 times thicker than paint.

With such a thick viscosity, expect these coatings to cover holes, cracks, and other surface flaws with ease.

Of course, thicker coatings mean less coverage per gallon.

If your deck doesn’t have severe surface flaws, you may want to go for coatings that aren’t too thick.

Many brands offer coatings that are only 4 times thicker than paint.

It’s also important to consider your deck design and material (composite decking or wood decking material). 

Deck paint restoration coatings come in a variety of colors, so choose one that fits your current deck’s look.

Step 2: Prepare the surface

Your first order of business is to remove any large splinters.

If you find any protruding nail heads, get rid of them and use new deck screws to secure the boards in place.

It’s also a must to sand the areas where you’ve applied a clear sealer or solid stain. The same goes for areas covered by furniture.

Removing the gloss from these sun-shielded areas and roughing up the surface is necessary for an even coating application.

Take out your deck cleaning product and read the instructions carefully.

Check how much time you need to let it soak.

Apply the product and allow it to rest according to the instructions.

Get a scrub brush and scrub your whole deck, paying particular attention to greasy areas.

Lastly, use a power washer to get rid of the dirt particles and loose stains. Don’t forget to clean the board gaps as well. Let the wood dry for a week and cover all vertical surfaces.

Step 3: Apply the deck paint coating

Now it’s time for the most exciting part.

Use the deck paint coating to fill knot holes and cracks.

It’s easier to fill them up first instead of going back to them later.

Once the coating is stiff, use the special roller to apply the deck coating.

Remember to do this in one motion only. Going back and forth means you’d thin out the coat.

You can use a brush to level the coating.

Stay patient and you’ll soon find your deck looking as if it’s been restored by a professional deck remodeling contractor.

But you shouldn’t stop there.

The second coat is where you’ll make things look a whole lot better.

At this point, you’ll be able to fill in all the gaps and create that smooth texture you’ve always wanted for your deck.

Make sure that you before starting with the second coat, allow the first coat to dry for at least three hours or until dry to the touch.

As you can see, the entire process is time-intensive.

But it can be quite fun as well.

Even the most reputable deck contractors abide by the steps above, so follow it and you should be able to complete a successful deck restoration project.

Here are more ways to care for your deck.