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Greetings community of fixers, I have an aging deck that will be torn down and replaced within (hopefully) 5 years. In the meantime, I'm trying to determine the best course of action to keep it maintained and safe for Viv the Kid (2 years old).

I'd like to repaint the deck so the color is lighter. It was suggested I sand it down with some rented equipment, replace boards that need replacing, then stain with new coat.

So far we've gone over all the deck screws to be sure all are sunk or removed. Is sanding the way to go?

I don't mind the look of a lighter deck with darker handrails and worse case I stick with the same color.View of majority of deck Another view of worn deck

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Personally, I'd power wash it and apply a thick deck restoring product since you plan to replace in a few years.

This is an example of such a product, but I'm not endorsing any product or seller. This one is nice because it is tintable.

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  • +1 agree with this. Sanding & staining a previously painted deck which isn't in the best condition would be a PITA and not worth the effort if it's going to be replaced in the near future.
    – brhans
    Jul 11, 2018 at 14:51
  • Your problem was that it was painted; that is why I only use stain. For replacement, use 2 X lumber , not 5/4 " decking. It will last longer, be stronger, at the same price. And stainless screws are worthwhile if you will live there for > 10 years.
    – blacksmith37
    Jul 11, 2018 at 16:08
  • 2 X lumber - can you explain what that is? I only purchased a few 8' boards to replace the worst of it. I plan to power wash the paint off and use a pigment stain if this can cover the paint. Will this work?
    – Peter Kovach
    Jul 17, 2018 at 13:26
  • @PeterKovach He means 2x6 boards. Deck boards are typically 5/4" (1.25 inch) thick in the U.S.A., but 2x6 will be 6/4" (1.5 inch) thick.
    – UnhandledExcepSean
    Jul 17, 2018 at 13:52

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