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How To Remove Paint From Your Deck

Sam Lutz • Apr 12, 2016
2 chairs outside
Spring is finally here, and it’s time to remove the peeling paint from off of your wooden deck. Stripping paint off of any wooden surface can be nasty, difficult work. Removing paint from your deck can require extra care because of its size, its position relative to your landscaping and because of the particular hazards associated with pressure treated wood. In this post, we’ll go over the best practices for stripping paint from your deck, so you can have a functional, attractive place to spend time with friends and hang around outdoors this spring.

Materials

  • Tarps
  • Painter’s Tape
  • Paint Scraper or Metal Brush
  • Dust Mask
  • Broom
  • Paint Stripper
  • Paint Roller
  • Stiff Bristled Brush
  • Hose
  • Sander
  • Fine-Grain Sand Paper

Process

painting tools
  1. Cover all landscaping in the area around the deck to protect your plants from chemicals in the paint stripper. Use bricks or something else heavy to weigh down the tarps and prevent them from blowing away. While you’re doing this, cover the parts of your house closest to your deck with protective tarps. Use painter’s tape and bricks to secure the tarps.
  2. Use a paint scraper or a metal brush to scrape off as much of the old paint as you can. To avoid breathing in paint, dirt, and flecks of wood, cover your mouth and nose with a dust mask.
  3. Use a broom to sweep up the debris on the deck.
  4. Apply the paint stripper to a small area of the deck with a paint roller. Start in a corner farthest from the exit of the deck, and apply the paint stripper according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  5. Remove the stripper and the paint itself by scraping the wood with a stiff bristled brush.
  6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 in small sections all over the deck until all the paint has been removed. Wear the dust mask throughout the process.
  7. Wash off the deck with a strong jet of water from a hose. Some people may choose to use a power washer a this stage. While this will help clean the deck and remove any remaining bits of paint, this may also damage the wood. If you choose to do this, take care and keep the nozzle of the power washer at least a foot away from the deck.
  8. Allow the deck to dry.
  9. Use a power sander to sand down the deck with fine-grain sandpaper. This will help smooth the wood. Move the sander in the direction of the wood grain. Continue to wear a dust mask through this process. Not only is saw dust bad to breathe in, but if your deck is made from pressure treated wood, then it could contain hazardous chemicals.
  10. Sweep up the saw dust and wash off the deck with a strong jet of water from a hose.
After this is finished, the paint should be completely stripped from your deck.

Stop in At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture for Supplies

Don't live with that old, peeling deck any more. At Ace Paint and Unfinished Furniture, we carry tarps, paint rollers, brushes, and many of the other supplies you'll need to strip the paint from your deck. Stop in today for help and the stuff you'll you need to get the job done.
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