I just angle grinded (using 80 grit discs) a deck with years of stain and paint and this method worked like a charm. Saved me so much time and wrist pain compared to orbital/belt sanding--Thank You (I would have never thought of doing it this way)
Been re-doing decks for 17 years and what I found was, regardless of what finish was previously on I would always power wash( 800 psi max) first to clean up loose stain/paint/sealer and then hit it with a drum sander(80 grit) to remove the rest. I would wait one full day of sun so that the humidity level was less than 10% on the deck material. There would still be the occasional stubborn coating left and would use cordless orbital sander. Just would recommend taking a hammer and drift to knock down the nail heads or screw down high screws avoids ripping sanding discs. Also, FYI, I keep in business thanx to Behr stain/sealers....seems to be the worst product out there....good video btw !
@@robraven7776 Great information! Several other commenters have mentioned the drum sander, which I didn't even know existed 🙂 thanks for sharing! People do read the comments, not just me, and this is good info 👍
Thanks for this vid! I'm looking to strip the paint off my deck and have been looking over options. From power wash w/nozzle, stripping solution, flap disc, to diamabrush disc, and so forth. This really helped give a full overview of all the options and their pros/cons, which I haven't found in other videos. Your video has really helped.
Thanks for putting this up. I had the same problem with home Depot stain it works more like paint than stain. Seems like the flap discs are the way to go.
Very well made video. Super informative and visual. Thank you for sharing your experience. Ive tried a few way to sand our deck to no avail. So this video is perfect for what i was looking for
I have tried just about everything on my 40 year old deck with about three layers of paint and lots of stain under that, and your plan is about what I would do in the unfortunate event that I ever have to do this kind of thing again! I may forgo the chemical stripper with lots of layers, because if you can’t get ALL the layers completely, it hardens into something akin to rock. Other lessons- Use almost horizontal angle with pressure washer and don’t stay in one spot too long. Also, (if you’re comfortable with power tools) get two cheap, corded random orbital sanders, zip tie the cords together, extension cord on garden hose retractable holder, and a rolling mechanics board. One sander in each hand and roll with it. It’s been an adventure. I have two decks, both 12 x 26.
I would have been great to have seen you lying on a mechanic creeper with two Palm Sanders ! Very creative👍 thanks for the tips and advice, people do read these comments, So thank you for them 😁
Thank you o much for such an incredibly detailed video! I am sanding my deck after moving into to a older home. Ive been struggling to flatten the uneven board with the orbital saw and unsure about pressure washing the deck. This was so helpful thanks!!
I highly recommend a floor sander. I tried first renting an orbital floor sander, bit was no way near aggressive enough. so i brought it back to home depot and swapped it out for a floor belt sander. VICTORY! Next step, I have to get the edger to finish the job... but it also helped smooth out all the boards as an added bonus.
YMMV with a drum sander on a deck. Depends of how much cupping your boards have. Unless you can level out all the high spots, you will miss the low areas--which could be leave half of your surface un-sanded. The more wood you need to remove, the deeper your fasteners need to be set. They will destroy your belt.
@@jonathansmith3434 Exactly my point (about drum sanders). Too many people recommending them to others who may not have the experience to realize they won't work on cupped decks. I never saw a brush sander, but it sounds like it would make short work on the dry, flaky areas I need to debride before repainting. How would it work around thicker areas of flaking latex? My 7" variable speed flap sander works, but it can overheat and curl the feather edges of paint that I don't want to remove if I'm not careful.
Here in the UK most of our decking boards are of the grooved variety. I use a water jet on low pressure to get rid of all the grime. Let it dry, and then a vigorous brush. Deck oil retails for about £40 for 5 litres . I only ever stained with deck 'paint' once - never again. Decking lasts about 10 years here no matter what you apply. We're slowly moving towards composites. I'd never use an angle grinder or wire brush attachment on decking as my back, knees and British good looks wouldn't tolerate it 😊 Great tutorial.
HomeDepot rents a floor sander that will make quick work of any buildup. I power-washed it first. Doesn't work well on beat-up boards that are warped, but will remove buildup and paint. I was removing mold for the most part. After sanding with 40 and then 80 grit, the deck looks good but not new. It is 20 years old. Sealing the deck with a clear protectant is all the protection you need.
I'm in the process of using a angle grinder/flap wheel to take the paint off the 4X4 frame for a patio roof. It is a slow process (3 layers of paint), especially the bottom surfaces. Also leaves the wood with a wavey surface.
Okay, that's good to know, I have wondered about doing things like 4x4s or round posts with the same technique. It sounds like you still just have to be good with "weathered" look
A big thanks for your information about using the flap sanding discs on an angle grinder. In preparation for my deck paint removal job, I got both a 4x21 Craftsman belt sander and a bunch of the 4-1/2" flap sanding discs from HF. I started with the belt sander, and after 10 minutes it became obvious that it would take forever to get the sanding done with the belt sander. Plus, it was PON to use the belt sander as you would have to keep adjusting the tensioner to keep the sanding belt centered, which all by itself is a job. So I switched the angle grinder to try it out. It turned the flap-disc was much faster than the belt-sander, the result was good enough. Most importantly, with the angle grinder method, the sanding of my 20x30 deck looks like a doable job for one weekend.
Thx for your feedback! Just be careful about gouging with the flap disk, it will make waves in your wood if You're not careful. Although that's kind of the look that I like. :-) The tool that I'm wondering about is called a surface conditioning tool, Eastwood makes one, Bauer from harbor freight as well. I think it works really well on metal, I'm not sure if it would gouge wood however. Hey, thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin I also bought a long-handled drywall sander off amazon. It uses 9" sanding disc, and got a telescoping handle that I thought would allow me to sand the deck in standing, and save my back. It seemed to be such a good idea at that t6ime, and there some people said they actually used it for sanding decks, and said it worked great. But I found out that the drywall sander does not work for me at all, because my deck is old, because 1, none of its plank is flat enough to allow the 9" sanding disc to come to a full contact with it, and 2, the sander is just not powerful enough to remove the old paint quickly. So unless the deck surface is as flat as hardwood floor, the drywall sander idea won't work.
@@bubbatennessee7531 hey, thanks for sharing that! I never even knew that tool existed. What a great idea for a flat deck though! Maybe if I maintained my deck better that would work on mine :-) Thanks for sharing that and for watching 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin - yes, it might work for you. Wish my deck boards were flat enough to allow the use of a drywall sander as it will save my knees and back. Plus, as I understand it, the stain or paint won't last more than a year, and the deck has to be repainted every year anyway. Having a good sander would be a lifesaver. For the time being, your grinder with flag sanding discs method is the only option working for me. When I get around, I will investigate the possibility of replacing the 9" pad with a 6" one on the drywall sander. A smaller sanding disc would work better on uneven surface.
@ 9:23 PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE DECK! Don't be stupid, using a grinder will actually tear and rip the grain on each and every board, much like using a power washer. You will be destroying the exposed face of the lumber, which will decrease the life span as well. @ 9:45 Take a close look at the board out in front of his fingertips. ZOOM IN, LOOK CLOSELY! The grinder has created what is called a cross hatch scratch. This is caused by using the grinder in such a way that the wheel is traveling across the wood grain, and tearing it out! Everyone of these cross hatch scratches will stick out like a sore thumb as soon as you apply stain! The only way to remove these scratches is to Sand, SAnd, SANd and SAND SOME MORE!
Power washing works great. But there is a sweet spot on how to do it without messing up the wood. You also have to let it dry out. I bought a moisture meter so I know when to apply the new stain.
Good video. I guessed the flap disc would be best. That's what I use to sharpen lawn mower blades. Works fast. Hopefully I can save my deck. It's in pretty bad shape. thanks
Excellent, I've never used it on my lawn mower blades, but I've got to sharpen two mowers in the next month, so thanks for the tip! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
From all my recent research, I've found Restore-A-Deck and Defy to be the best stains. They're only available online but their sites have great advice on prepping decks. I ended up going with Defy solid stain for my old, cedar deck. It's too old, with too many layers of stain, to take down to bare wood.
Wow, I really like the looks of the defy deck stain, at least the pictures online show a transparent look so you can still see the character of the wood underneath. I really like it. Thanks for such good advice! People do read the comments, and yours are just the kind of comments that are so appreciated! I'm going to have to buy that 👍
First of all just to get the stain materials straight, all companies give one usually 4 options, transparent, semi-transparent, semi-solid, and SOLID. If it looked/acted like paint then they bought the SOLID stain instead of one less solid that exposes the wood grain etc. Has nothing to do with the companies, Sherwin Williams, Home Depot etc. They chose the wrong one apparently. I enjoyed seeing the options of tools to use, very tricky sometimes...... I used a combo of smaller grit belt sander and my random orbital which seemed relatively quick and easy for me. I'll try the flap disc next time. Thanks
Great information! Thank you for sharing. I had no idea there were different kinds. To me. A stain was a stain, so this is really helped me a lot. Thank you for watching and for your feedback 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin It's a new day, lot's of options , too many actually. I was a painting contractor, now semi retired........lots of products out there, thanks for posting good information.....
@@loutheglue8030 The transparent and semi-transparent are no good either. I bought semi-transparent and had the exact same problem, it sits on top of the wood and anything exposed to the weather starts peeling off within a couple of years. It also leaves a sort of rubbery finish that attracts dirt.
@@gabrielcherry528 You have to use an oil based stain.. what you’re describing is either a water based or an oil-modified stain. Both are very flawed and are extremely difficult to maintain once they begin to fail. Oil based deck stains only require a soap and pressure washing followed up by a coat of stain a couple days later.
Im sticking with what works. Belt sander, finish with orbital sander. Occasionally - a planer to start. Linseed oil 6 parts. Terphentine 4 parts. Done.
@@anesthesiadreamin - hi! Well it depends. It all depends on exposure to sun, rain etc. One side is not exposed much to the elements, and this is fourth (4) year since applying. It looks new The same with our wooden fence. The side that is exposed to weather is a different mather. I am sanding that part as we speak. We've had a cold, wet spring followed by a warm summer initially. Right now in the south east of Sweden, the weather is warm and rainy with - still - cold, moist nights. So - a lot of UV exposure. But there is a good mix of natural ingredients for that as well. I can find it for you if you like. A genuine, old Swedish mix. But still, this mixture with linseed oil, I think it has lasted a long time. It would probably last much longer in northern Sweden with cold, long winters!
@@fnordeon1013 I like the more natural treatments over the commercialized wood treatments. So that's a great idea, I'm going to look into that more. Appreciate you giving me your feedback! Thank you much 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin - Wow that was a fast reply! I agree to 100% with you there - natural goes above everything. I build and renovate. But listening to a 'pro' got me in to the following mess: Built the deck using impregnated lumber. Got the recommendation to NOT do anything the first 2 years (heck, I build stuff at work, maintenance is not my job) and first then use a commercial wood product for the floor boards. Did that. Expensive. It became a mess. DONT DO IT MY WAY 😳🤔😂! Small cracks are unavoidable. Its this fast drying process that is the problem. We used to dry lumber in stables, often air dryed or in owens using low heat, back in the old days. Totally different. The second misstake I did, was not using oil on the underside, before I assembled the floor. That is my biggest misstake because of the moisture exposure!! The last misstake I did, as mentioned, was not using oil right after (or before) they were in place. So - ONE YEAR after applying this commercial - expensive - cr#p , I was in a special kind of hell - the sanding hell. Scrubbed the lumber, sanded it down, applied the oil mix. That saved that part of the deck until now. But - now I need to replace 24 boards. They are cracked beyond repair, will do that next week. The lumber needs to air first. This time, I will oil ALL SIDES first!! I am convinced that not doing this before, got me in to this mess. This is a method that has been used for ages in Sweden. There is a reason why. I missed where you live? If you have a deck exposed a lot to the sun, there is a naturell compound called titanium dioxide, that is supposed the be very effective for UV protection. I can see if I can find the recepie. PS/ I always use raw, cold pressed (I think its called that in English) linseed oil. It penetrates much better than boiled linseed. All the best, Fredrik
Should have kept the floor sander and go over the deck a few more times. The problem using any of those hand tools will result a wavy surface and take forever. A bench or stationary planner would be perfect if you remove those planks and nails. It will make it look like new.
@ 9:23 PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE DECK! Don't be stupid, using a grinder will actually tear and rip the grain on each and every board, much like using a power washer. You will be destroying the exposed face of the lumber, which will decrease the life span as well. @ 9:45 Take a close look at the board out in front of his fingertips. ZOOM IN, LOOK CLOSELY! The grinder has created what is called a cross hatch scratch. This is caused by using the grinder in such a way that the wheel is traveling across the wood grain, and tearing it out! Everyone of these cross hatch scratches will stick out like a sore thumb as soon as you apply stain! The only way to remove these scratches is to Sand, SAnd, SANd and SAND SOME MORE!
Try using a electric handheld planer set to just take the paint off, works pretty well. Make sure your screws are recessed in the wood enough not to Nick your blade.
I would suggest using the 7" grinder and 36 grit flap disks for the main deck boards. They make quicker work of the large areas and leave fewer grinding marks as the 4 1/2" flap disks.
Aha! I do have a 9-in angle grinder But I couldn't find flap discs for it. That 7 in might be worth investing in just for the bigger flap discs. Great idea! Thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
@@AndYetHereWeAre Pressure washer removed most flaking paint. My VS buffer with a 7" flap wheel worked great for removing stubborn flakes of old paint, and feathering paint edges that were firmly attached. Slower speed doesn't burn paint as easily as my 4.5" single speed does. Overheating paint clogs grit quicker, and the heat loosens and curls the well adhered paint edges when you try to feather them. I'm sure a fiber disc would work as well.
What you bought may have been latex stain, which looks like paint. We use and like the Dewalt 5- and 1/2-inch orbital sander starting with 40 grit, then 60 grit sandpaper to strip decking. Be careful with soft woods like redwood. We do a dozen decks a year!
We also have a paint-like stain that is chipping off. Once restored what can I use as a proper stain? I miss the old Cabot oil stain from my first house.
Did you try using a using a paint stripper prior to the pressure wash? May have been able to use a lower pressure to achieve similar effect without fiber separation issue? I’m trying to decide how I will remove the paint from my deck and my plan is paint stripper followed by pressure wash. Thanks for the video!
That might just work really well! We did try chemical stripper, and then scraped it up with the putty knife, it didn't work very well and left a lot in the cracks. Of course that we couldn't get out, but the pressure washer might be able to dig that out, and also get it off the sides of the boards as well (I mean like in between the boards) which is hard to get to with any tool. Thanks for watching and for your comments, If you remember after you're done, I would like to hear how that works out for you 👍
Dude, solid video until the end. I pressure wash and stain/ waterproof decks in the summer. #1 never use a ripsaw nozzle on a deck... those are for digging holes in the ground, of course its going to tear your deck apart. The point to power washing is to remove the top layer of dirt, if you hold it too close you will cut or damage the wood. #2 if your pressure washer cant remove the stain, buy stain stripper or just sand it. #3 STOP using Behr products, Thompson is the best!
Thanks!! I have 30x17 deck to strip paint out. I tried the surface clean and green power washer nozzle. The nozzle makes the wood look bad and will have to sand anyway. I going in with the angle grinder and a sanding disc.
Consider the diamabrush as well, I just bought one but havent tried it yet, it may not gouge as much and make a wavy look like the flapdiscs will. Good luck!
Also, make sure you make smooth passes with the flap disc along the grain of the wood, because it will easily gouge and leave a wavy look. I actually like the wavy look on my deck, It makes the wood look older and distressed, but you might not be going for that look.
@@anesthesiadreamin It's an old deck someone is paying me to do. I did 5 hours today and got most of it off. I will finish this week. Not an easy job. What do you recommend for the railings? It is difficult not to get the wavy look on the railings with the angle grinder.
@@exposeevil5492 Yes, you're correct for sure. I don't have personal experience doing paint stripping off railings, but it's got to be a pain. Do you have access to a decent size compressor? Maybe a straight line? Pneumatic sander, or a belt pneumatic sander might help getting underneath the railings and around all the posts, those 90° bends could be tough. And maybe if the railing itself isn't too warped, that's where the electric belt sander might do the best. Sorry I don't have better ideas for that
@@anesthesiadreamin I have been using scraper to get the hard to reach places. I'm almost done though maybe 3 hours of paint removal left. Then I'm going to stain. It is my first time removing paint from a deck. I painted and few and changed wood panels that were rotted out. Thanks for the ideas.
@@chaplani It all depends on the quality of the discs, cheap brands will probably require more. Also, if you are hitting nails, or screws that are sticking up, life expectancy goes down. Personally I buy a few extra, because I use these flap discs for tons of things, but also, because once they start wearing, they will keep cutting, just slower; so it's not worth my time to try to squeeze every ounce of life from one disc. Just food for thought
I make my own deck stain from mineral spirits, mineral oil, motor oil, and Ronan Superfine Japan Color Venetian Red for pigment. 50% spirits and 50% oils - around a quarter cup Venetian red per gallon. I stain it every year. No buildup - ever. I just pressure wash it and let it dry around 4 days and stain it.
@@anesthesiadreamin My deck is pressure treated. If it isn't rotted I think it should work. You could do a small test area to see how it works. It is important for the wood to be dry before staining. The sun shines right on my deck and dries in 3 to 4 days. You have to stir it frequently while staining.
@@dangunn6961 The reason your deck is easy to maintain is because you’re using an oil based product.. which is how it should be done. Water based and oil modified stains peel and fade and are extremely difficult to remove. Good rule of thumb, any horizontal surface that will be walked or driven on must be coated in oil or solvent base.
I'm now scared of "stains" since this one went on like paint. I ended up using Thompsons water seal, which I am not a big fan of, but I am applying it every 6 months. Has been good for water resistance, but I'm not sure about UV resistance yet. What are you thinking of using? Please let me know, because I don't have a good idea for a decent stain...thanks
@@anesthesiadreamin I originally used Behr semi solid. I it on too soon. My deck boards weren't dried out. It lasted 6 years. This time I'm probably sticking with Behr but using a semi-transparent stain instead. I may try a different brand but reviews depend on whos paying who. Defy seems to be a great product but they dont have a dealer near me that can tint the right color.
I ended up using Thompson's, but I had to apply it every few months. Several people in the comments below have recommended Defy Wood Stains, I haven't gotten to use it yet but you might check them out. Supposedly a true stain
Yes, I tried that very first thing. It still left a lot of paint in the cracks, But it did better than regular pressure washing. It seemed that if the chemical stripper didn't do a good job of lifting it, neither did the pressure washer in the same stubborn area.
I have tried various methods as well and I am also feeling the angle gridner. I will try this next. Your video was really helpful. Another option to consider is chemical strippers. I am curious if people are getting good results with those. My result was mediocre.
Yes, I should have included that in the test, but we did get mediocre results as well. There are so many gaps and cracks, and places that the paint just seem to stick better than others, that the chemical stripper didn't remove. Thanks for watching and for your comments 😁
@@anesthesiadreamin No problem. I think you can use the stripper instead of the deck sander. But assume you will need to follow up with one of the other methods (as you already experienced)
Old fashion strippers with lots of toxic and noxious chemicals would strip the hide off an ox. The new stuff that you can buy everywhere has about 1/4 the effect. May work on stain, or a thin, worn out paint job. On several layers of paint you will create a mess you wish had never started. Even with good stripper, you need to pressure wash between the boards to clean them up. And you will need to follow up with a light sanding, especially if you are going to stain. Don't even think of buying a deck worth of stripper until you test a small area and extrapolate the time and mess, including cleanup and sanding..
What kind of flap disc do you use, is that like a standard zirconia ceramic or something different, and what sort of grit? I hear the Norton ones are really good, looking at the Norton Red Heat.
So I switched to Thompson's, but it required a couple applications a year, or more. Several people in the comments below recommended DEFY brand, to get an actual stain that lasts a decent time. I haven't tried it yet, but that will be my next step.
IT COULD BE..SUPER DECK IS A STAIN NOT PAINT. IT WILL PENETRATE THE WOOD FIBERS AS OPPOSED TO PAINT WHICH COVERS THE FIBERS FORMING A SHELL OVER THE DECK WHICH DEPENDIN ON THE CLIMATE YOU LIVE IN, HOW MUCH SUN ETC . , THAT SHELL MAY NOT HOLD UP TO FREEZE - THAW OF WINTERS, UV RAYS, ETC., AS WELL AS A STAIN WHICH PENETRATES THE WOOD. I JUST LISTENED AGAIN TO THE START OF THIS VID AND YOU SAID YOU USED A PAINT AND NOT STAIN SO THAT WOULDN'T OF BEEN SUPER DECK THAT WAS ON THERE. NOTE : SUPER DECK IN THE SOLID FORMULA ( NOT TRANSPARENT OR SEMI TRANS ) CAN BE MISCONSTRUED AS PAINT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE PAINT BUT IS FORMULATED AS A WATERBASED STAIN .. WHAT DID YOU USE AFTER THIS VID AND DID IT HOLD UP WELL SO FAR ?
If you want to COMPLETELY remove paint from square spindles, you may be able to sand the outsides, but you will wind up stripping the insides because most sanders won't fit. Round lathe turned spindles will need to be stripped. Get the most aggressive professional stripper you can find from a real paint store. The standard big-box stippers are worthless nowadays. You want the stuff that will destroy the environment, burn out your lungs, and melt your skin off. Unfortunately, I'm not kidding. That's why it's in the pro stores. The safe, "green friendly" stuff is garbage.
Yes, all of them would clean up iron or steel. I guess I would pick the flap disc number one, followed by the wire brush, but probably not either of the Sanders. I use a flap disc on metal all the time, and it works very well, without gouging it severely like a grinder disc will. Thanks for watching and for your question 👍
@@samdinnin I don't recall exactly, but I know it was less than 10. You can make those discs really stretch, But their performance does drop off, they will keep cutting but they are not as efficient as a new one
Yes, it left a ripple effect, a waviness in the boards. I kind of like it. But it's not for everyone. Another person mentioned a 7-in grinder with a 7-in flap disc which may not cause so much rippling. Also there's another adapter for grinders called diamond something, like diamabrush, might give a more flat effect
@@anesthesiadreamin There's a comparison video somewhere out there. Both worked, but the flap wheel had a slight advantage in achieving flatness and better control.
Yes! I ended up using a respirator when I was actually stripping the deck. Probably should have been using it here as well for the test. Thanks for the good advice 👍
I assume you originally used ‘solid stain’, which is paint. In my learning curve I discovered that it simply will not stay on horizontal surfaces, period. Plus it hides the wood grain. Terrible product.
My guess is that the most effective method overall would be in 4 steps: 1. Scratch off any loose flaky paint (wire brush or wheel) 2. Apply paint remover 3. Let it do its thing (covering it with some plastic to keep the paint remover from drying up helps) 4. Pressure wash at a lower PSI, to strip up all the loosened paint 5. Finally go at it with the floor sander, to remove any excess and prime the surface 6. Oh and use flap disc grinder on any inaccessible areas or spots that are left It would be a long process but I have a hard time imagining this wouldn’t do a very thorough job. And the paint remover doing the bulk of the work would also make things easier overall.
That might be a LOT less labor, but maybe take longer? IDK, I spent a LOT of hrs using the flap discs LOL. Good ideas, thanks for sharing, I appreciate the comments, people do read the comments and gain even more knowledge than just the video itself 👍
Why anyone thinks that timber makes a good exterior floor material obviously never tried to climb a wet tree when they were young. Fine in a very dry climate, but useless for anywhere else. Trying to adapt something that is unsuitable for its function will have nothing but trouble. Vertical surfaces fine, horizontal surfaces dysfunctional.
Agreed. This pressure treated deck only lasted about 12 years, but we only get about 8 inches of precip a year, So it's very dry. But I would never build another deck with pressure treated or regular wood again
I sand against the grain and with the flap disc at an aggressive angle when I need to remove a lot of wood. I then use it with the grain to align the sanding marks. Keeping the angle of the disc less than 10-15 degrees when finishing, I can flatten an area with zero grooves. I can even feather the edges of paint that is well adhered that I don't want to remove. Don't knock it 'till you try it.
The answer is none of those methods work at all. One would be sanding a deck forever using any of those methods. What you need is a floor sander. Orbital sanders leave swirls that are noticable when the finish is applied. Never use over 100 grit sandpaper. You want your wood finish to be on the rougher side so that the stain or deck paint adheres more uniformly. Just my opinion.
First of all that is a stain. It is a semi transparent. There was no sign of peeling as latex wood do. Don't blame Sherwin Williams because you don't have a clue.
@@CharlesWade-kt9ox LOL i peeled "stain" off this deck for days before I made this video. I know exactly what the difference between a semi-transparent stain, a stain, and paint is. This is total garbage. Stain actually penetrates the wood, this never did, and the can said stain. This "stain" went on like paint and peeled off line paint. So total BS
@@simpletonballsack If you have severely cupped boards you will wind up removing a crapload of wood to get the deck flat enough to sand all the boards. Otherwise you take off the high spots and leave the low spots. If you need to remove 1/4" or more you better have your fasteners set really, really deep or you will destroy the fasteners and your belts. Doesn't work in all cases.
I just angle grinded (using 80 grit discs) a deck with years of stain and paint and this method worked like a charm. Saved me so much time and wrist pain compared to orbital/belt sanding--Thank You (I would have never thought of doing it this way)
Been re-doing decks for 17 years and what I found was, regardless of what finish was previously on I would always power wash( 800 psi max) first to clean up loose stain/paint/sealer and then hit it with a drum sander(80 grit) to remove the rest. I would wait one full day of sun so that the humidity level was less than 10% on the deck material. There would still be the occasional stubborn coating left and would use cordless orbital sander. Just would recommend taking a hammer and drift to knock down the nail heads or screw down high screws avoids ripping sanding discs. Also, FYI, I keep in business thanx to Behr stain/sealers....seems to be the worst product out there....good video btw !
@@robraven7776 Great information! Several other commenters have mentioned the drum sander, which I didn't even know existed 🙂 thanks for sharing! People do read the comments, not just me, and this is good info 👍
It’s nice to have a professional give advice. Just bought a Milwaukee sander today.. going to attempt to remove behr deck over
What stain would put you out of business?? Asking for a friend 🙂
@@yuppiecruncher I haven't used it yet, but several commenters swear by the brand Defy. I think that's what I would try next
Thanks for this vid! I'm looking to strip the paint off my deck and have been looking over options. From power wash w/nozzle, stripping solution, flap disc, to diamabrush disc, and so forth. This really helped give a full overview of all the options and their pros/cons, which I haven't found in other videos. Your video has really helped.
Thanks for putting this up. I had the same problem with home Depot stain it works more like paint than stain. Seems like the flap discs are the way to go.
Very well made video. Super informative and visual.
Thank you for sharing your experience.
Ive tried a few way to sand our deck to no avail. So this video is perfect for what i was looking for
I have tried just about everything on my 40 year old deck with about three layers of paint and lots of stain under that, and your plan is about what I would do in the unfortunate event that I ever have to do this kind of thing again! I may forgo the chemical stripper with lots of layers, because if you can’t get ALL the layers completely, it hardens into something akin to rock. Other lessons-
Use almost horizontal angle with pressure washer and don’t stay in one spot too long. Also, (if you’re comfortable with power tools) get two cheap, corded random orbital sanders, zip tie the cords together, extension cord on garden hose retractable holder, and a rolling mechanics board. One sander in each hand and roll with it. It’s been an adventure. I have two decks, both 12 x 26.
I would have been great to have seen you lying on a mechanic creeper with two Palm Sanders ! Very creative👍 thanks for the tips and advice, people do read these comments, So thank you for them 😁
Thank you o much for such an incredibly detailed video! I am sanding my deck after moving into to a older home. Ive been struggling to flatten the uneven board with the orbital saw and unsure about pressure washing the deck. This was so helpful thanks!!
I highly recommend a floor sander. I tried first renting an orbital floor sander, bit was no way near aggressive enough. so i brought it back to home depot and swapped it out for a floor belt sander. VICTORY! Next step, I have to get the edger to finish the job... but it also helped smooth out all the boards as an added bonus.
Ok, well, I didn't even know those existed! Thanks for the info!
@@anesthesiadreamin ever here'd of a brush sander works brilliantly for all uneven decks
YMMV with a drum sander on a deck. Depends of how much cupping your boards have. Unless you can level out all the high spots, you will miss the low areas--which could be leave half of your surface un-sanded. The more wood you need to remove, the deeper your fasteners need to be set. They will destroy your belt.
@@FisherCatProductions Why loose timber just to get to the low areas. A Brush sander does it better
@@jonathansmith3434 Exactly my point (about drum sanders). Too many people recommending them to others who may not have the experience to realize they won't work on cupped decks. I never saw a brush sander, but it sounds like it would make short work on the dry, flaky areas I need to debride before repainting. How would it work around thicker areas of flaking latex? My 7" variable speed flap sander works, but it can overheat and curl the feather edges of paint that I don't want to remove if I'm not careful.
Here in the UK most of our decking boards are of the grooved variety. I use a water jet on low pressure to get rid of all the grime. Let it dry, and then a vigorous brush. Deck oil retails for about £40 for 5 litres . I only ever stained with deck 'paint' once - never again. Decking lasts about 10 years here no matter what you apply. We're slowly moving towards composites. I'd never use an angle grinder or wire brush attachment on decking as my back, knees and British good looks wouldn't tolerate it 😊 Great tutorial.
Great comments! What exactly do you mean by deck oil? Is there a certain brand you use or like? Hey thanks for watching and for commenting 👍
Awesome experiment with details!! Thank you, Sir!
HomeDepot rents a floor sander that will make quick work of any buildup. I power-washed it first. Doesn't work well on beat-up boards that are warped, but will remove buildup and paint. I was removing mold for the most part. After sanding with 40 and then 80 grit, the deck looks good but not new. It is 20 years old. Sealing the deck with a clear protectant is all the protection you need.
I'm in the process of using a angle grinder/flap wheel to take the paint off the 4X4 frame for a patio roof. It is a slow process (3 layers of paint), especially the bottom surfaces. Also leaves the wood with a wavey surface.
Okay, that's good to know, I have wondered about doing things like 4x4s or round posts with the same technique. It sounds like you still just have to be good with "weathered" look
I just had a hip replacement. After watching I have decided to just go and buy a thickness planer, pull up the boards and run them through.
OK! I never thought of that idea, but mine are pretty warped, and yours will be like new! Great idea! Thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
Great video... Now I know what to do to take some old pain off my balcony
nice sanding comparison. you are lucky to get 3 yrs , I have had that sherman williams solid stain flake off in 1 or 2yrs in michigan !
Wow thats crazy! What did you use to strip your deck And what do you think is the best way?
@@anesthesiadreamin I probably didn't strip the older solid stain good enough. That's why I am looking at sanding down to bare wood before staining.
@@toddr5732
Should have called me dude.. I’m in Macomb County.
A big thanks for your information about using the flap sanding discs on an angle grinder. In preparation for my deck paint removal job, I got both a 4x21 Craftsman belt sander and a bunch of the 4-1/2" flap sanding discs from HF. I started with the belt sander, and after 10 minutes it became obvious that it would take forever to get the sanding done with the belt sander. Plus, it was PON to use the belt sander as you would have to keep adjusting the tensioner to keep the sanding belt centered, which all by itself is a job. So I switched the angle grinder to try it out. It turned the flap-disc was much faster than the belt-sander, the result was good enough. Most importantly, with the angle grinder method, the sanding of my 20x30 deck looks like a doable job for one weekend.
Thx for your feedback! Just be careful about gouging with the flap disk, it will make waves in your wood if You're not careful. Although that's kind of the look that I like. :-) The tool that I'm wondering about is called a surface conditioning tool, Eastwood makes one, Bauer from harbor freight as well. I think it works really well on metal, I'm not sure if it would gouge wood however. Hey, thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin I also bought a long-handled drywall sander off amazon. It uses 9" sanding disc, and got a telescoping handle that I thought would allow me to sand the deck in standing, and save my back. It seemed to be such a good idea at that t6ime, and there some people said they actually used it for sanding decks, and said it worked great. But I found out that the drywall sander does not work for me at all, because my deck is old, because 1, none of its plank is flat enough to allow the 9" sanding disc to come to a full contact with it, and 2, the sander is just not powerful enough to remove the old paint quickly. So unless the deck surface is as flat as hardwood floor, the drywall sander idea won't work.
@@bubbatennessee7531 hey, thanks for sharing that! I never even knew that tool existed. What a great idea for a flat deck though! Maybe if I maintained my deck better that would work on mine :-) Thanks for sharing that and for watching 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin - yes, it might work for you. Wish my deck boards were flat enough to allow the use of a drywall sander as it will save my knees and back. Plus, as I understand it, the stain or paint won't last more than a year, and the deck has to be repainted every year anyway. Having a good sander would be a lifesaver. For the time being, your grinder with flag sanding discs method is the only option working for me. When I get around, I will investigate the possibility of replacing the 9" pad with a 6" one on the drywall sander. A smaller sanding disc would work better on uneven surface.
@@bubbatennessee7531 Good idea. If you make a video, please send me the link!
I was going to run out and buy a belt sander. Instead I’m gonna just use my angle grinder. Great video thank youu 🙏
be sure to watch:
th-cam.com/video/GzLuZi0EvFY/w-d-xo.html
@ 9:23
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE DECK!
Don't be stupid, using a grinder will actually tear and rip the grain on each and every board, much like using a power washer. You will be destroying the exposed face of the lumber, which will decrease the life span as well.
@ 9:45
Take a close look at the board out in front of his fingertips. ZOOM IN, LOOK CLOSELY! The grinder has created what is called a cross hatch scratch. This is caused by using the grinder in such a way that the wheel is traveling across the wood grain, and tearing it out! Everyone of these cross hatch scratches will stick out like a sore thumb as soon as you apply stain! The only way to remove these scratches is to Sand, SAnd, SANd and SAND SOME MORE!
Great video! Helped me alot on deciding what to use on my deck!!
great comparison. I've used all those methods on mine. Just curious what your video was going to show.
pretty much the same results I got.
Thanks for the comparison. It was very helpful.
Your right about the power washing it will mess up the wood also after it dries it soaks up a lot of paint when applied 2 to 3 coats.
Well, I hadn't thought about having to use extra paint or stain, but that makes perfect sense. Thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
Power washing works great. But there is a sweet spot on how to do it without messing up the wood. You also have to let it dry out. I bought a moisture meter so I know when to apply the new stain.
@@anesthesiadreamin You Rock!!!!
@@zoltanpapp4451 how long did you wait until you stained it?
Good video. I guessed the flap disc would be best. That's what I use to sharpen lawn mower blades. Works fast. Hopefully I can save my deck. It's in pretty bad shape. thanks
Excellent, I've never used it on my lawn mower blades, but I've got to sharpen two mowers in the next month, so thanks for the tip! Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
From all my recent research, I've found Restore-A-Deck and Defy to be the best stains. They're only available online but their sites have great advice on prepping decks. I ended up going with Defy solid stain for my old, cedar deck. It's too old, with too many layers of stain, to take down to bare wood.
Wow, I really like the looks of the defy deck stain, at least the pictures online show a transparent look so you can still see the character of the wood underneath. I really like it. Thanks for such good advice! People do read the comments, and yours are just the kind of comments that are so appreciated! I'm going to have to buy that 👍
Rumor has it he’s still sanding this deck
LOL 👍 It took about three solid days of sanding. Totally sucked. Don't recommend it at all. Even with the flap disc!
First of all just to get the stain materials straight, all companies give one usually 4 options, transparent, semi-transparent, semi-solid, and SOLID. If it looked/acted like paint then they bought the SOLID stain instead of one less solid that exposes the wood grain etc. Has nothing to do with the companies, Sherwin Williams, Home Depot etc. They chose the wrong one apparently. I enjoyed seeing the options of tools to use, very tricky sometimes...... I used a combo of smaller grit belt sander and my random orbital which seemed relatively quick and easy for me. I'll try the flap disc next time. Thanks
Great information! Thank you for sharing. I had no idea there were different kinds. To me. A stain was a stain, so this is really helped me a lot. Thank you for watching and for your feedback 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin It's a new day, lot's of options , too many actually. I was a painting contractor, now semi retired........lots of products out there, thanks for posting good information.....
@@loutheglue8030 The transparent and semi-transparent are no good either. I bought semi-transparent and had the exact same problem, it sits on top of the wood and anything exposed to the weather starts peeling off within a couple of years. It also leaves a sort of rubbery finish that attracts dirt.
@@gabrielcherry528
You have to use an oil based stain.. what you’re describing is either a water based or an oil-modified stain. Both are very flawed and are extremely difficult to maintain once they begin to fail. Oil based deck stains only require a soap and pressure washing followed up by a coat of stain a couple days later.
Im sticking with what works.
Belt sander, finish with orbital sander.
Occasionally - a planer to start.
Linseed oil 6 parts. Terphentine 4 parts.
Done.
Hey thanks for your comments! How often do you reapply the linseed turpentine mixture?
@@anesthesiadreamin - hi!
Well it depends. It all depends on exposure to sun, rain etc.
One side is not exposed much to the elements, and this is fourth (4) year since applying. It looks new
The same with our wooden fence.
The side that is exposed to weather is a different mather.
I am sanding that part as we speak. We've had a cold, wet spring followed by a warm summer initially.
Right now in the south east of Sweden, the weather is warm and rainy with - still - cold, moist nights.
So - a lot of UV exposure. But there is a good mix of natural ingredients for that as well.
I can find it for you if you like. A genuine, old Swedish mix.
But still, this mixture with linseed oil, I think it has lasted a long time.
It would probably last much longer in northern Sweden with cold, long winters!
@@fnordeon1013 I like the more natural treatments over the commercialized wood treatments. So that's a great idea, I'm going to look into that more. Appreciate you giving me your feedback! Thank you much 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin - Wow that was a fast reply!
I agree to 100% with you there - natural goes above everything.
I build and renovate. But listening to a 'pro' got me in to the following mess:
Built the deck using impregnated lumber.
Got the recommendation to NOT do anything the first 2 years (heck, I build stuff at work, maintenance is not my job) and first then use a commercial wood product for the floor boards.
Did that. Expensive. It became a mess. DONT DO IT MY WAY 😳🤔😂!
Small cracks are unavoidable. Its this fast drying process that is the problem. We used to dry lumber in stables, often air dryed or in owens using low heat, back in the old days.
Totally different.
The second misstake I did, was not using oil on the underside, before I assembled the floor.
That is my biggest misstake because of the moisture exposure!!
The last misstake I did, as mentioned, was not using oil right after (or before) they were in place.
So - ONE YEAR after applying this commercial - expensive - cr#p , I was in a special kind of hell - the sanding hell.
Scrubbed the lumber, sanded it down, applied the oil mix.
That saved that part of the deck until now.
But - now I need to replace 24 boards. They are cracked beyond repair, will do that next week.
The lumber needs to air first.
This time, I will oil ALL SIDES first!!
I am convinced that not doing this before, got me in to this mess.
This is a method that has been used for ages in Sweden. There is a reason why.
I missed where you live?
If you have a deck exposed a lot to the sun, there is a naturell compound called titanium dioxide, that is supposed the be very effective for UV protection.
I can see if I can find the recepie.
PS/
I always use raw, cold pressed (I think its called that in English) linseed oil.
It penetrates much better than boiled linseed.
All the best,
Fredrik
Should have kept the floor sander and go over the deck a few more times. The problem using any of those hand tools will result a wavy surface and take forever. A bench or stationary planner would be perfect if you remove those planks and nails. It will make it look like new.
@ 9:23
PERFECT EXAMPLE OF WHAT YOU ARE DOING TO YOUR EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE DECK!
Don't be stupid, using a grinder will actually tear and rip the grain on each and every board, much like using a power washer. You will be destroying the exposed face of the lumber, which will decrease the life span as well.
@ 9:45
Take a close look at the board out in front of his fingertips. ZOOM IN, LOOK CLOSELY! The grinder has created what is called a cross hatch scratch. This is caused by using the grinder in such a way that the wheel is traveling across the wood grain, and tearing it out! Everyone of these cross hatch scratches will stick out like a sore thumb as soon as you apply stain! The only way to remove these scratches is to Sand, SAnd, SANd and SAND SOME MORE!
Unscrew the planks and run them through a thickness planer. ~1/16" should do it.
Try using a electric handheld planer set to just take the paint off, works pretty well. Make sure your screws are recessed in the wood enough not to Nick your blade.
I was thinking a non-electric hand plane would be great and fast, if it wasn't for those screws.
I would suggest using the 7" grinder and 36 grit flap disks for the main deck boards. They make quicker work of the large areas and leave fewer grinding marks as the 4 1/2" flap disks.
Aha! I do have a 9-in angle grinder But I couldn't find flap discs for it. That 7 in might be worth investing in just for the bigger flap discs. Great idea! Thanks for watching and for your comments 👍
Don't use a grinder. Use a variable speed car buffer with a 7" backer and a 9" fiber disc.
@@AndYetHereWeAre Pressure washer removed most flaking paint. My VS buffer with a 7" flap wheel worked great for removing stubborn flakes of old paint, and feathering paint edges that were firmly attached. Slower speed doesn't burn paint as easily as my 4.5" single speed does. Overheating paint clogs grit quicker, and the heat loosens and curls the well adhered paint edges when you try to feather them. I'm sure a fiber disc would work as well.
@@FisherCatProductions Respect. You clearly know what's up! Spot on.
What you bought may have been latex stain, which looks like paint. We use and like the Dewalt 5- and 1/2-inch orbital sander starting with 40 grit, then 60 grit sandpaper to strip decking. Be careful with soft woods like redwood. We do a dozen decks a year!
Great! I'll have to look that tool up. Sounds like you're very experienced. Thanks for sharing and for watching 👍
We also have a paint-like stain that is chipping off. Once restored what can I use as a proper stain? I miss the old Cabot oil stain from my first house.
Did you try using a using a paint stripper prior to the pressure wash? May have been able to use a lower pressure to achieve similar effect without fiber separation issue? I’m trying to decide how I will remove the paint from my deck and my plan is paint stripper followed by pressure wash. Thanks for the video!
That might just work really well! We did try chemical stripper, and then scraped it up with the putty knife, it didn't work very well and left a lot in the cracks. Of course that we couldn't get out, but the pressure washer might be able to dig that out, and also get it off the sides of the boards as well (I mean like in between the boards) which is hard to get to with any tool. Thanks for watching and for your comments, If you remember after you're done, I would like to hear how that works out for you 👍
This is what I am doing and it works reasonably well, but doesn’t get everything so sanding will still be necessary.
Dude, solid video until the end. I pressure wash and stain/ waterproof decks in the summer. #1 never use a ripsaw nozzle on a deck... those are for digging holes in the ground, of course its going to tear your deck apart. The point to power washing is to remove the top layer of dirt, if you hold it too close you will cut or damage the wood. #2 if your pressure washer cant remove the stain, buy stain stripper or just sand it. #3 STOP using Behr products, Thompson is the best!
Thank you for those good comments! I appreciate your feedback, especially on the products to use. 👍
I have yet to find a good stain that dont peel in a year ?
Thanks!! I have 30x17 deck to strip paint out. I tried the surface clean and green power washer nozzle. The nozzle makes the wood look bad and will have to sand anyway. I going in with the angle grinder and a sanding disc.
Consider the diamabrush as well, I just bought one but havent tried it yet, it may not gouge as much and make a wavy look like the flapdiscs will. Good luck!
Also, make sure you make smooth passes with the flap disc along the grain of the wood, because it will easily gouge and leave a wavy look. I actually like the wavy look on my deck, It makes the wood look older and distressed, but you might not be going for that look.
@@anesthesiadreamin It's an old deck someone is paying me to do. I did 5 hours today and got most of it off. I will finish this week. Not an easy job. What do you recommend for the railings? It is difficult not to get the wavy look on the railings with the angle grinder.
@@exposeevil5492 Yes, you're correct for sure. I don't have personal experience doing paint stripping off railings, but it's got to be a pain. Do you have access to a decent size compressor? Maybe a straight line? Pneumatic sander, or a belt pneumatic sander might help getting underneath the railings and around all the posts, those 90° bends could be tough. And maybe if the railing itself isn't too warped, that's where the electric belt sander might do the best. Sorry I don't have better ideas for that
@@anesthesiadreamin I have been using scraper to get the hard to reach places. I'm almost done though maybe 3 hours of paint removal left. Then I'm going to stain. It is my first time removing paint from a deck. I painted and few and changed wood panels that were rotted out. Thanks for the ideas.
If the screws were not sticking so much a hand plane or two (scrub + smoother) would do the job quick and clean.
First thing before any sander even touches a deck is to drive in the screws with an impact.
What was the pressure coming of your pressure cleaner?
@@chaplani 3000 psi
@@anesthesiadreaminthanks 205 bar i guess, im gonna try this with 180 bar on some old paint on a pine wall, you think its gonna work?
@@chaplani I would try a small area, and if it doesn't work well, I think I would apply a stripper, let it work, and then spray it off
@@anesthesiadreamin I got myself an ange grinder with P40 based on your advice today. i have 16m2 to clean, u think 2-3 discs will be enough?
@@chaplani It all depends on the quality of the discs, cheap brands will probably require more. Also, if you are hitting nails, or screws that are sticking up, life expectancy goes down. Personally I buy a few extra, because I use these flap discs for tons of things, but also, because once they start wearing, they will keep cutting, just slower; so it's not worth my time to try to squeeze every ounce of life from one disc. Just food for thought
I make my own deck stain from mineral spirits, mineral oil, motor oil, and Ronan Superfine Japan Color Venetian Red for pigment. 50% spirits and 50% oils - around a quarter cup Venetian red per gallon. I stain it every year. No buildup - ever. I just pressure wash it and let it dry around 4 days and stain it.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipe! I would be excited to try this. Do you think it would work over old pressure treated wood like mine?
@@anesthesiadreamin My deck is pressure treated. If it isn't rotted I think it should work. You could do a small test area to see how it works. It is important for the wood to be dry before staining. The sun shines right on my deck and dries in 3 to 4 days. You have to stir it frequently while staining.
@@dangunn6961
The reason your deck is easy to maintain is because you’re using an oil based product.. which is how it should be done. Water based and oil modified stains peel and fade and are extremely difficult to remove.
Good rule of thumb, any horizontal surface that will be walked or driven on must be coated in oil or solvent base.
What brand of stain did up end up re-staining the deck and did you use solid color or transparent stain?
I'm now scared of "stains" since this one went on like paint. I ended up using Thompsons water seal, which I am not a big fan of, but I am applying it every 6 months. Has been good for water resistance, but I'm not sure about UV resistance yet. What are you thinking of using? Please let me know, because I don't have a good idea for a decent stain...thanks
@@anesthesiadreamin I originally used Behr semi solid. I it on too soon. My deck boards weren't dried out. It lasted 6 years. This time I'm probably sticking with Behr but using a semi-transparent stain instead. I may try a different brand but reviews depend on whos paying who. Defy seems to be a great product but they dont have a dealer near me that can tint the right color.
I ended up using Thompson's, but I had to apply it every few months. Several people in the comments below have recommended Defy Wood Stains, I haven't gotten to use it yet but you might check them out. Supposedly a true stain
Did you spray a wood stripper product prior to pressure washing?
Yes, I tried that very first thing. It still left a lot of paint in the cracks, But it did better than regular pressure washing. It seemed that if the chemical stripper didn't do a good job of lifting it, neither did the pressure washer in the same stubborn area.
I have tried various methods as well and I am also feeling the angle gridner. I will try this next. Your video was really helpful.
Another option to consider is chemical strippers. I am curious if people are getting good results with those. My result was mediocre.
Yes, I should have included that in the test, but we did get mediocre results as well. There are so many gaps and cracks, and places that the paint just seem to stick better than others, that the chemical stripper didn't remove. Thanks for watching and for your comments 😁
@@anesthesiadreamin No problem. I think you can use the stripper instead of the deck sander. But assume you will need to follow up with one of the other methods (as you already experienced)
Old fashion strippers with lots of toxic and noxious chemicals would strip the hide off an ox. The new stuff that you can buy everywhere has about 1/4 the effect. May work on stain, or a thin, worn out paint job. On several layers of paint you will create a mess you wish had never started. Even with good stripper, you need to pressure wash between the boards to clean them up. And you will need to follow up with a light sanding, especially if you are going to stain. Don't even think of buying a deck worth of stripper until you test a small area and extrapolate the time and mess, including cleanup and sanding..
@@FisherCatProductions Yeah. I tried a stripper last year and barely anything came off, so I gave up as well. Just seemed easier to sand it.
What kind of flap disc do you use, is that like a standard zirconia ceramic or something different, and what sort of grit? I hear the Norton ones are really good, looking at the Norton Red Heat.
These were just the cheap warrior brand from harbor freight, for steel. 120 grit
I am experiencing peeling off a 3 year old deck, and I put a fresh coat of stain on it every year. What type/brand of stain do you recommend?
So I switched to Thompson's, but it required a couple applications a year, or more. Several people in the comments below recommended DEFY brand, to get an actual stain that lasts a decent time. I haven't tried it yet, but that will be my next step.
WAS THAT PRODUCT FROM SHERWIN WILLIAMS CALLED SUPER DECK ?
It was from SW but too long ago to remember the exact name. Why, is superdeck a better product?
IT COULD BE..SUPER DECK IS A STAIN NOT PAINT. IT WILL PENETRATE THE WOOD FIBERS AS OPPOSED TO PAINT WHICH COVERS THE FIBERS FORMING A SHELL OVER THE DECK WHICH DEPENDIN ON THE CLIMATE YOU LIVE IN, HOW MUCH SUN ETC . , THAT SHELL MAY NOT HOLD UP TO FREEZE - THAW OF WINTERS, UV RAYS, ETC., AS WELL AS A STAIN WHICH PENETRATES THE WOOD. I JUST LISTENED AGAIN TO THE START OF THIS VID AND YOU SAID YOU USED A PAINT AND NOT STAIN SO THAT WOULDN'T OF BEEN SUPER DECK THAT WAS ON THERE. NOTE : SUPER DECK IN THE SOLID FORMULA ( NOT TRANSPARENT OR SEMI TRANS ) CAN BE MISCONSTRUED AS PAINT BECAUSE IT LOOKS LIKE PAINT BUT IS FORMULATED AS A WATERBASED STAIN .. WHAT DID YOU USE AFTER THIS VID AND DID IT HOLD UP WELL SO FAR ?
How would I go about sanding the paint off of spindles ? A palm sander? It’s quite a few spindles so would be extremely time consuming
Yes, it will be, but some machines I know of will not fit in between them, depending on spacing.
If you want to COMPLETELY remove paint from square spindles, you may be able to sand the outsides, but you will wind up stripping the insides because most sanders won't fit. Round lathe turned spindles will need to be stripped. Get the most aggressive professional stripper you can find from a real paint store. The standard big-box stippers are worthless nowadays. You want the stuff that will destroy the environment, burn out your lungs, and melt your skin off. Unfortunately, I'm not kidding. That's why it's in the pro stores. The safe, "green friendly" stuff is garbage.
Another (expensive) method. Remove all the board and put down composite decking. Never needs to be stained or painted. 😂
Can those tools work on iron ?
Yes, all of them would clean up iron or steel. I guess I would pick the flap disc number one, followed by the wire brush, but probably not either of the Sanders. I use a flap disc on metal all the time, and it works very well, without gouging it severely like a grinder disc will. Thanks for watching and for your question 👍
Wanna know what is best? Remove the boards and run them through a surfacer.
Anything spinning can and “WILL” break apart and injure blind or kill you.. well that’s reassuring.😂
Is the Bauer a Paddle Switch Angle Grinder or a Trigger Grip Angle Grinder
Trigger. I wish it was a paddle. But the trigger is well protected from accidentally turning it on, unlike some of the older styles
@@anesthesiadreamin ok thank you i was curious cuz i saw different options on the website. how many discs did you go through?
@@samdinnin I don't recall exactly, but I know it was less than 10. You can make those discs really stretch, But their performance does drop off, they will keep cutting but they are not as efficient as a new one
What was the product you had a problem with
It was a "vibratory floor sander", It had a huge heavy grit sanding pad, but my deck was so irregular that it wouldn't cut the low spots
Go back and get the floor sander.
fyi, you will still have to restain your deck every couple of years with a deck stain, even if it is just oil.
Wait isn't that wood damaged now? Wild
Yes, it left a ripple effect, a waviness in the boards. I kind of like it. But it's not for everyone. Another person mentioned a 7-in grinder with a 7-in flap disc which may not cause so much rippling. Also there's another adapter for grinders called diamond something, like diamabrush, might give a more flat effect
You need to sand with the grain not sideways
Diamabrush works pretty good as well
Thanks, I've often wondered if that wouldn't have been even faster. Which do you think is?
@@anesthesiadreamin There's a comparison video somewhere out there. Both worked, but the flap wheel had a slight advantage in achieving flatness and better control.
Don't breath in the dust or the chemical coating you are sanding! Even if you are outside fine particles get stuck in your lungs.
Yes! I ended up using a respirator when I was actually stripping the deck. Probably should have been using it here as well for the test. Thanks for the good advice 👍
Nice video
I assume you originally used ‘solid stain’, which is paint. In my learning curve I discovered that it simply will not stay on horizontal surfaces, period. Plus it hides the wood grain. Terrible product.
if it's not sticking that's typically a sign of poor surface prep.
If you use too fine a grit while sanding the adhesion isn't nearly as good
There is something called PINT STRIPPER
Yeah, I wasted about $75 on that. Useless for my application at least
My guess is that the most effective method overall would be in 4 steps:
1. Scratch off any loose flaky paint (wire brush or wheel)
2. Apply paint remover
3. Let it do its thing (covering it with some plastic to keep the paint remover from drying up helps)
4. Pressure wash at a lower PSI, to strip up all the loosened paint
5. Finally go at it with the floor sander, to remove any excess and prime the surface
6. Oh and use flap disc grinder on any inaccessible areas or spots that are left
It would be a long process but I have a hard time imagining this wouldn’t do a very thorough job. And the paint remover doing the bulk of the work would also make things easier overall.
That might be a LOT less labor, but maybe take longer? IDK, I spent a LOT of hrs using the flap discs LOL. Good ideas, thanks for sharing, I appreciate the comments, people do read the comments and gain even more knowledge than just the video itself 👍
If you would have used 20grit with the floor sander it would be 90% removed
Wow now that's some grit! I should have asked the rental company about that. Thanks for the tip
@@anesthesiadreamin yes I just completed by entire deck today for the first time. Used 20 grit, 36 grit, then 80 grit.
Why anyone thinks that timber makes a good exterior floor material obviously never tried to climb a wet tree when they were young. Fine in a very dry climate, but useless for anywhere else. Trying to adapt something that is unsuitable for its function will have nothing but trouble. Vertical surfaces fine, horizontal surfaces dysfunctional.
Agreed. This pressure treated deck only lasted about 12 years, but we only get about 8 inches of precip a year, So it's very dry. But I would never build another deck with pressure treated or regular wood again
use a floor sander
Who sands against the grain. The flap disc will make grooves in the wood.
I sand against the grain and with the flap disc at an aggressive angle when I need to remove a lot of wood. I then use it with the grain to align the sanding marks. Keeping the angle of the disc less than 10-15 degrees when finishing, I can flatten an area with zero grooves. I can even feather the edges of paint that is well adhered that I don't want to remove. Don't knock it 'till you try it.
Disk sander? cheaper than grinder!
Floor sander
Diamabrush worked the best for me............
I keep hearing that! So I bought one, but I have yet to use it. Thanks for the comment and the encouragement 👍
@@anesthesiadreamin what’s the word? I have one I haven’t used yet
Diamabrush!
I keep hearing that! Wish I woulda tried it 😁
@@anesthesiadreamin They do work really well. I use them on a variable speed Dewalt polisher and just let them do the work, very light pressure.
I'm gonna use the dimabrush
I think if I didn't have any screws sticking up, I would use the diama brush too. But I had way too many screws that I would hit
Flip the boards over.
I musta read this like 30 times. This is brilliant.
@@thisneeds2besaid deck boards are rippled on the underside. Bad idea.
Just go get a floor sander
Strip it with a chemical stripper and scurb brush and power wash
What chemical is best for stain stripping?
It's called quick stripper
Cost a lot of money the mistake
Yep it sure did, lost money and time
...
The answer is none of those methods work at all. One would be sanding a deck forever using any of those methods. What you need is a floor sander. Orbital sanders leave swirls that are noticable when the finish is applied. Never use over 100 grit sandpaper. You want your wood finish to be on the rougher side so that the stain or deck paint adheres more uniformly. Just my opinion.
First of all that is a stain. It is a semi transparent. There was no sign of peeling as latex wood do. Don't blame Sherwin Williams because you don't have a clue.
@@CharlesWade-kt9ox LOL i peeled "stain" off this deck for days before I made this video. I know exactly what the difference between a semi-transparent stain, a stain, and paint is. This is total garbage. Stain actually penetrates the wood, this never did, and the can said stain. This "stain" went on like paint and peeled off line paint. So total BS
Ur missing the fastest and best tool, but anyhoo.
Well then, Don't leave me hanging! What is it?
Yes what is it?
@@anesthesiadreamin Drum sander. Next to the big orbital sander at the hire shop and same hire cost.
@@simpletonballsack If you have severely cupped boards you will wind up removing a crapload of wood to get the deck flat enough to sand all the boards. Otherwise you take off the high spots and leave the low spots. If you need to remove 1/4" or more you better have your fasteners set really, really deep or you will destroy the fasteners and your belts. Doesn't work in all cases.
@@FisherCatProductions You mentioned an obvious case that is not the case in this video so my comment stands.